ATP Tour In for a ‘Massive Scheduling Pain in A**’, As Andy Roddick Explains Consequences of Saudi Arabia Move

Andy Roddick does not seem too convinced about Saudi Arabia impacting tennis positively. Previously, Roddick expressed great doubt about the country’s conservative practices and its effects on the professional tennis scene. Despite his concern, however, many ATP stars like Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal welcomed Saudi Arabia’s growing interest in the sport.

While Djokovic played an exhibition match at the Abu Dhabi Open, Nadal has accepted the role of Saudi Arabian Tennis Association’s brand ambassador. Even though ATP is moving quickly in this collaboration, Roddick is still apprehensive about the decision.

Andy Roddick is not cool with Saudi Arabia’s growing influence on men’s tennis

In a recent podcast of Served titled A New Spin on Tennis, Andy Roddick spoke about the matter with host Jon Wertheim. He said, “What is the number one thing we constantly hear complained about of last thirty years from the top players on tour who are essentially your money makers, right? They are the ones selling night sessions they are the ones, they are the most important figures in your game. We hear nonstop that if they could make one change what it would be? Schedule, schedule, schedule.”

Roddick continued– “So, let’s put this into a hypothetical right? either January I don’t know what the date, it is January third, whatever the first Monday is for 2025 I don’t know it’s Sunday, I will just call it one week event for now, that’s schedule and he cant miss his masters 1000 so we on the heels of Sinner’s win in Australia like oh man you know like Medvedev playing in the final. Like oh man I was like personally someone who liked getting in a tournament in at least like some tournament matches in before going into Australia. Right? I didn’t like kind of going in flying so let’s take a pick on this, Sinner playing in the first week of December for Davis Cup follows world tour finals which is also kind of gotten later and later and later. When I played it it was early November now its late November. So everyone is kind of pitching in all side. This deal would make scheduling for the off season like absolute nightmare for the top players.”

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This legendary tennis star spoke about ATP’s growing relationship with Saudi Arabia. He referred to their recent proposed deal with the country to sell the ATP rankings for five years. Roddick further said- “There are no weeks that are convenient for any growth. Especially for the biggest events that are mandatory. If you for an actual schedule making, this new entity that is  controversial but more and more week passes it feels inevitable and our first kind of hand shake to the tour is listen we’re gonna make a massive scheduling pain in the a**.”

Andy Roddick’s concern about Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in global tennis expressed the issue of high-ranking ATP players about scheduling. If the calendar delays in hosting prestigious tournaments, it might be hard for players to improvise. Do you agree with Roddick’s perception?

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