On Monday, the Saudi Arabian Tennis Federation announced that Rafael Nadal is its new ambassador and that he wishes to contribute to "growing the sport and inspiring a new generation of athletes" in the country.
Nadal said: "Everywhere you look in Arabia, you can see growth and progress and I am motivated to be part of it. I continue playing tennis because I love it. But beyond playing, I want to help this sport grow around the world and in Saudi Arabia there is great potential. The children here look to the future and are very passionate about sports. And if I can help them pick up a racket or get in shape and enjoy the benefits of a healthy life, then I will be happy to have contributed."
Part of this contribution will be an academy, which he promised to build when in Riyadh a few days ago for a tennis clinic.
For the president of the federation, Arij Almutabagani: "Rafa embodies all the values that we appreciate in a true champion on and off the court. He is simply the ideal role model for our boys and girls. It is clear that Rafa lives the best version of himself every day. His dedication to his training, his commitment to every shot and his way of fighting for every point are values that we hope to instil in our future stars. Not only to develop them as players, but also as people."
Saudi Arabia currently has 177 tennis clubs, an increase of 146% since 2019. Over the past four years, the number of registered players has increased by 46% to 2,300, and the number of under-14s has increased from 500 to 1,000.
There has been social media criticism of Nadal and the appointment. One example: "A man who has money to live twenty lives feels the need to associate with a country that does not respect human rights in order to earn a little more money. What a guy Rafa Nadal, no?"