Offer from the Saudis?

Herwig Straka: “Money is not a game changer for us”

Herwig Straka

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Things are bubbling behind the scenes in tennis. On the one hand, there are rumours of a two billion dollar offer from Saudi Arabia to take over all ATP and WTA 1000 tournaments, and on the other, the idea of the four Grand Slam tournaments organizing their own Premier Tour together with the 1000s. In order to avoid exactly what happened to the sport of golf when the Saudis joined the LIV Tour: a split or at least a huge dispute. "I don't think we are dependent on the money, money is not a game changer for us," said Austria's long-term ATP official Herwig Straka.

Things are bubbling behind the scenes in tennis. On the one hand, there are rumors of a two billion dollar offer from Saudi Arabia to take over all ATP and WTA 1000 tournaments, and on the other, the idea of the four Grand Slam tournaments organizing their own Premier Tour together with the 1000s. In order to avoid exactly what happened to the sport of golf when the Saudis joined the LIV Tour: a split or at least a huge dispute.

According to a report in the British newspaper "Telegraph", the Saudi sovereign wealth fund Public Investment Fund (PIF), which has been making sensational investments in soccer, Formula 1 and golf for years, is offering two billion US dollars for the Masters tournaments. These are the second-highest category events after the four Grand Slams, which are currently organized separately by the ATP and WTA. This offer is reportedly only valid for 90 days. One thing is clear: it would be competition for a possible Premier Tour model, which the four Major organizers have been discussing.

Only one offer for Masters tournament
Straka dispelled at least some of this in an interview with APA - Austria Presse Agentur on Tuesday. The reported figure was "false", but he could not say any more about it in order not to breach confidentiality. Saudi Arabia had made an offer to the ATP for a 10th Masters 1000 in January. Increasing the number of 1000 events to ten has been a topic of discussion in the ATP for some time, and January or June (on grass) was an issue.

Herwig Straka

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Three new 500 tournaments
"If there is a tenth thousand, then we will issue an invitation to tender," said Straka. There were also recently three new 500cc tournaments. "There was also a lot of interest, there will be three new 500s from next year. The same process is also to be considered without us having decided if we were really going to do it in the first week."

"Sport can also change the world"
However, it has long been no secret that Saudi Arabia is pushing into the sport of tennis, and the ATP is also open to this - as partnerships for the "Next Gen" U21 tournament or a sponsorship for the ATP ranking also show. Excluding Saudi Arabia, which has been heavily criticized by human rights organizations, from the outset was not an issue for the ATP. "Because we believe that you can change the world through sport. That you don't just talk about it and describe it as 'sportwashing', but actually do something." All other sums reported are speculation.

I don't believe that we are dependent on the money, money is not a game changer for us.

ATP-Funktionär Herwig Straka über die Pläne von Saudi-Arabien

Cohesion
According to Straka, the idea of the four Grand Slams to form a Premier Tour or Super Tour series has nothing to do with the sums of money circulating from Saudi Arabia. Nor was it agreed with the ATP or WTA. "The Slams shot it out on their own." On the contrary, there has been an intention for years to bring the many tennis powers closer together. The ATP, WTA, International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the four majors are seven players, and spectator numbers at the Grand Slam tournaments in particular are growing almost immeasurably. "Since Andrea Gaudenzi (ATP boss since 2020, note) started, our goal has been to keep the ATP, WTA, ITF and the Grand Slams together. Our biggest weakness in tennis is that there are so many governances."

One example of this is the TV rights situation. "You have this broadcaster for one Grand Slam tournament, that one for the next, and that one for the 1000. We lose a lot of fans and interest as a result and that's a shame. That's why we want to move closer together. It's still the ATP's goal. Everything that comes along now, we will try to subordinate to that."

No split like in golf
Straka denied that tennis is now threatened by a split like in golf. "No, I don't think so. I believe that we have all learned from golf and that we will not go that far. Both as far as the Saudis are concerned and this premium idea. I'm confident that things will settle down again, but there are several initiatives at the moment." Conversely, it is nothing new, as the marketing company ISL made an offer worth billions 30 years ago. "It was the same with the Davis Cup. Just working with a lot of money without thinking about what's good for the product has never worked well."

"Money is not a game changer for us"
Of course, Straka cannot rule out the possibility that the Saudis, who undoubtedly have endless financial resources at their disposal, could now drive a wedge between the majors and the ATP and WTA. "It could happen, but we're doing well, the Slams are doing well. I don't think we are dependent on the money, money is not a game changer for us. If we were to go for such a solution, we would of course try to get the maximum out of it, but just for someone with a lot of money alone, we won't drop everything and change our principles."

The fact is, the soon-to-be 58-year-old Styrian is "currently very busy" in this matter and due to the uncertainty that naturally prevails. "You have to get things on track and calm things down. The players are still relatively calm, they trust us." Straka, who has been on the ATP Board of Directors for many years, is hoping for more clarity at major board meetings in Madrid in April. Whether there will perhaps be a tender for a tenth Masters tournament before then is not out of the question. In any case, this would not yet be relevant for next year.