“It doesn’t seem bad to me,” Carlos Alcaraz backs Rafael Nadal’s decision to ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation going against Andy Roddick, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert and other legends

Carlos Alcaraz says he finds nothin

“It doesn’t seem bad to me,” Carlos Alcaraz backs Rafael Nadal’s decision to ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation going against Andy Roddick, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert and other legends

Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz (Via Tennis.com)

Spanish tennis ace Carlos Alcaraz has backed his senior pro and legend Rafael Nadal on the latter’s decision to sign as the ambassador of the Saudi Tennis Federation. As the 22-time Grand Slam champion went against many legends like Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, and Andy Roddick and pledged to help the Middle Eastern country to popularize tennis, Nadal faced backlash.

Many criticized the Spanish legend accusing him of selling his soul for money. Nadal, on the contrary, said that he senses an opportunity to promote tennis and make it a global sport. Now, Carlos Alcaraz has also backed the Spanish legend saying he does not find anything bad in taking tennis to Saudi Arabia.

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Alcaraz defended Nadal saying that the 22-time Grand Slam champion signed as a tennis ambassador and there is nothing wrong with it. The 20-year-old said that there is no better person to popularize the sport than Nadal himself.

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I have heard people say that they have been criticizing him. Well, Rafa has decided to be an ambassador, it doesn't seem bad to me personally, he has signed up as a tennis ambassador. It is a country that is developing, that better than Rafa gets there to expand the world of tennis to places where it was never played before. The players try to attract more people to watch tennis and there is no better person than Rafa to achieve that.
Carlos Alcaraz said

What have others said about taking tennis to Saudi Arabia?

It is worth mentioning that the debate around taking tennis to Saudi Arabia has been boiling in the recent past and like any debate, there are two sections- for and against.

Rafael-Nadal-Saudi-Arabia
Rafael Nadal signs as brand ambassador for Saudi Tennis Federation (Images via X)

While legends like Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert have expressed their reservations about taking the sport to a country that has been criticized for violating human rights, the current crop of players see no major issue with the move.

In fact, Novak Djokovic feels that tennis going to Saudi Arabia is inevitable. Meanwhile, the likes of Aryna Sabalenka and Ons Jabeur have openly supported this potential shift saying they would be happy to play there.

Even Billie Jean King feels the sport should go there for the monetary benefits the country offers. Now, Nadal signing as the brand ambassador has further titled the debate in favor of Saudi Arabia.

The WTA is already mulling over moving the WTA Finals to the Middle-Eastern country. It is to be seen how long before the authorities announce the WTA Finals going to Saudi Arabia.

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