Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) and ATP announce new partnership

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) is adding a new sport to its portfolio, men's professional tennis. On Wednesday, PIF and the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) announced a multi-year partnership that will have PIF prominently involved in men's tennis for years to come.

PIF's investment in professional golf, mixed martial arts, and boxing was a precursor to the group delving into tennis. Tennis was starting to move into the Saudi landscape with Rafael Nadal recently becoming the ambassador for Saudi Arabia's tennis federation and an October 2024 6 Kings Slam planned in Saudi Arabia featuring Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, and Holger Rune.

PIF's footprint will be vast, and there will be fans, players, and former players who agree and disagree with the ATP's decision.

What PIF will be involved with

The ATP ranking system currently known as the ATP Pepperstone Rankings because of the involvement of the Australian financial company Pepperstone will cease to exist. PIF will become the official naming partner for the ATP rankings. In addition, the World No. 1 officially recognized and declared at the end of the season at the ATP Finals in November will be presented by PIF.

At the tournament level, events at Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Beijing, and the ATP Finals will have PIF sponsorship and branding opportunities. The partnership is intended to "elevate the long-term future of tennis."

ATP CEO Massimo Calvelli described the partnership as a "shared commitment to propel the future of the sport." He said: "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."
It is unclear what definitive plans are in place to boost the next generation of tennis players.

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