Rafael Nadal was appointed ambassador of the Saudi Tennis Federation (STF) on Monday, a title that the Spaniard said symbolises the Gulf monarchy's "potential" to become a stronghold of sport in the future. "Everywhere you look in Saudi Arabia, you see growth and progress and I'm happy to be a part of it," the 22-time Grand Slam champion said in a statement. "I keep playing because I love the game. But beyond the game, I want to help (tennis) develop around the world and there is real potential in Saudi Arabia," added the Spaniard, who made a brief return to competition earlier this month after almost a year without playing due to injury.
After losing in the third round of the Brisbane tournament, he withdrew from the Australian Open in Melbourne on January 7 due to a muscle tear. The 37-year-old Nadal said his goal is to be competitive for the clay-court season in the spring. He had previously indicated that 2024 could be his "last year" on the tour.
The kids are looking to the future and I saw that they were passionate about sports... I want to encourage them to pick up a snowshoe and enjoy the benefits of a healthy life.
Rafael Nadal
As an ambassador, the Spaniard will "spend time in the kingdom every year" to develop domestic tennis and a new Rafa Nadal Academy, according to the federation. "The kids are looking to the future and I saw that they were passionate about sports... I want to encourage them to pick up a racquet and enjoy the benefits of a healthy life," Nadal, who recently visited a tennis academy in Riyadh, said on his X account (ex-Twitter).
Saudi Arabia has been using sport as diplomatic leverage in recent years with Formula 1, Moto GP, the LIV golf circuit, football - it is the only candidate to host the 2034 World Cup - and tennis. In 2023, the kingdom hosted its first ATP tournament, the Next Gen in Jeddah, and exhibition matches between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka and Ons Jabeur. The five-year contract signed with the ATP for the Next Gen "signals the country's willingness to make tennis a large part of its international calendar and it is the first in a series of professional tennis tournaments that could be held" in Saudi Arabia, according to the STF.
But the oil-rich monarchy, the world's largest crude exporter, has drawn criticism from human rights activists and environmental groups who accuse it of "sportwashing" to burnish its reputation.