Saudi Arabia’s foray into tennis gained momentum last year with its inaugural ATP Tour event, the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah, alongside high-profile exhibition matches featuring stars like Djokovic, Alcaraz, and Sabalenka.

In the Sin Kings Slam final, Jannik Sinner triumphed over Carlos Alcaraz, winning 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-3 and expressing his desire for their rivalry to endure. Alcaraz currently leads their head-to-head encounters 6-4.

In April, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) revealed Riyadh will host the next three editions of the Tour Finals, set for November 2-9 in 2024, featuring the top singles and doubles players.

Earlier this year, Nadal was appointed ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation. However, the sport’s ties to Saudi Arabia have faced backlash from figures like Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, who raised concerns about human rights issues.

Djokovic acknowledged the mixed reactions, emphasizing a focus on the positives and noting that perspectives shape opinions on such matters.