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ATP Announces Saudi Arabia ‘Strategic Partnership’

The ATP has announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.

The ATP rankings, plus the year-end world number one award, will be named after Saudi’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).

On-court branding will be visible at some of the biggest events, starting at next month’s Indian Wells tournament.

“Our strategic partnership with PIF marks a major moment for tennis,” said ATP chief executive Massimo Calvelli.

“It’s a shared commitment to propel the future of the sport. With PIF’s dedication to the next generation – fostering innovation and creating opportunities for all – the stage is set for a transformative new period of progress.”

ATP 1000 circuit events in Miami, Madrid and Beijing will also be sponsored by PIF along with the season-ending ATP Finals.

Saudi Arabia has invested significant sums in football, golf, Formula 1 and boxing in recent years.

PIF have said the move will be a “catalyst for the growth of the global tennis landscape”.

The country already stages a tournament after signing a five-year deal to host the Next Gen ATP Finals there last year, with the first edition held in Jeddah in November.

The deal does not represent a direct challenge to the existing order unlike PIF’s involvement in golf. Instead, it is a sign that PIF wants to work with the sport’s existing governing bodies.

The deal is thought to be worth in the low seven figures.

The nation has long been criticised for its poor human rights record, particularly in regard to its treatment of women and criminalisation of homosexuality.

/Stewart
Sports news editor