Rafael Nadal recently opened up about the backlash he has faced regarding his role as a tennis ambassador for Saudi Arabia, following his participation in the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Riyadh. The 22-time Grand Slam champion had a challenging outing, suffering a defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals and subsequently losing to Novak Djokovic in the third-place match.
In January, the Saudi Tennis Federation announced Nadal’s new ambassadorial position, a move that attracted significant scrutiny. Critics argue that Saudi Arabia is leveraging sports investments to divert attention from its controversial human rights record.
The ATP Rankings are now sponsored by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), and the Next Gen ATP Finals are set to take place in Jeddah. Additionally, Riyadh is gearing up to host the WTA Finals for the first time next month, while reports suggest that Saudi Arabia is eager to introduce an ATP Masters 1000 tournament to its sporting calendar.
After the exhibition, Nadal discussed the criticism surrounding his involvement with Saudi Arabia in an interview with the Spanish outlet AS. He remarked, “What happens is that there comes a certain moment when you can be in one place or another, based on your opinion. I respect all opinions, as long as mine are also respected.”
Acknowledging the financial aspect, Nadal stated, “Do they pay me to come here? Yes. But we must not lose perspective.” He emphasized the importance of the events themselves, saying, “By coming here, you help the country.” He challenged the critics, asking, “So, what do you want? For them to continue being bad, for them to continue keeping the country locked up, with more inequality? There is only one reality.”
Nadal pointed out that the influx of events and tourists is a positive development for the nation, reflecting on the changes that have occurred over the past few years. “Let’s not kid ourselves, people call it sportwashing and of course there is a part of that, but the other part is that really thanks to all of that, people who have been locked up in this country and have not been able to see a different world, thanks to all the tourists who are coming, to all the events that are taking place here throughout the year, see another world, other cultures, and they have the ability to really move forward.”
He continued, “I don’t have the slightest doubt that the people who come to do events here, from any field, do good for the country.” While acknowledging that improvements are needed, he argued that progress cannot happen overnight. “Changes cannot happen from one day to the next 100%, because society is not prepared for a radical change.”
Nadal expressed hope that the current momentum could accelerate positive change, believing that his efforts, despite the criticism, have merit. “If in ten years, things are still bad or the country closes down, then obviously I will say that I was told something that was not true.”
As for the financial aspect, he clarified, “Now the Next Gen Finals are coming, the women will come to play the WTA Finals and they also earn a significant amount of money, obviously. And I, of what I earn, when I return to Spain I pay 60% in taxes.” He reinforced the idea that his role is about more than just financial gain, stating, “I think that it will really be a job that will be worthwhile.”
In closing, Nadal shared his perspective on tourism’s role in fostering change, saying, “I support the existence of tourism in this country, without a doubt, because, in the end, when people come here they see a different world that they have not seen in their life or in their previous history.” He encouraged respectful dialogue, asserting, “I try, as always, to accept criticism always within certain standards of respect. When respect is avoided, I obviously do not share it.”