Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz agree to play exhibition in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Expands Tennis Presence with Exhibition Matches Featuring Djokovic and Alcaraz

Saudi Arabia has made significant strides in the world of professional tennis with the announcement that four top-ranked players, including Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, will participate in exhibition matches in Riyadh this December. While the kingdom has yet to host major tournaments, securing the participation of the sport’s biggest names showcases Saudi Arabia’s commitment to enhancing its public image through sports. Alcaraz and Djokovic will face off on December 27 as part of the Riyadh Season festival organized by the General Entertainment Authority.

Prior to the Djokovic-Alcaraz match, the world’s number one women’s player, Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, will compete against Ons Jabeur of Tunisia, the most successful female player of African and Arab descent in tennis history.

Becoming a key player in the global sports landscape, particularly in tennis, has become a focal point for Saudi Arabia. Last year, the kingdom established its own men’s golf tour, enticing top players with multimillion-dollar contracts to participate in its tournaments instead of the traditional PGA Tour. This move resulted in a pending deal with the PGA that grants the kingdom’s investment arm a significant stake in the top tour of the sport.

However, Saudi Arabia’s efforts have faced criticism from detractors who argue that the Saudi royal family employs sports as a distraction from its repressive rule, especially in the wake of the 2018 assassination of Saudi dissident journalist, Jamal Khashoggi.

In just a few months, Djokovic, the world’s number one men’s player, and Alcaraz, currently ranked second, have developed an electrifying rivalry that captivates sports fans worldwide. Their first encounter took place at the French Open in Paris in June, where Alcaraz struggled with overwhelming stress and suffered muscle cramps during the final two sets, ultimately leading to Djokovic’s victory in four sets. However, Alcaraz triumphed over Djokovic in an epic five-set match at Wimbledon the following month.

Later in the summer, Djokovic showcased his dominance, defeating Alcaraz in the longest three-set match at an ATP final in 33 years. This intense and sweat-soaked battle lasted 3 hours and 49 minutes at the Western & Southern Open near Cincinnati. The stage seemed set for a Djokovic-Alcaraz clash in the U.S. Open final; however, Alcaraz fell short in the semifinals against Daniil Medvedev, while Djokovic claimed the title that Alcaraz had won the previous year.

Alcaraz recently shared that he thinks about Djokovic every day during practice and aims to learn from him, striving to match the Serbian player’s unwavering focus and longevity in the sport. Although the Saudi Arabia exhibition match may lack the tension of a grander stage, both players will be preparing and vying for an advantage in the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year in January, where they are once again favored to face each other in the final.

Saudi Arabia has previously hosted exhibitions featuring top tennis players, although its approach to tennis has been less aggressive than its golf endeavors. Earlier this year, the kingdom secured the rights to host the ATP’s Next Gen Finals, a tournament featuring the best players aged 21 and under, in Jeddah this December. Additionally, Saudi Arabia was among the leading bidders for a long-term agreement to host the WTA Finals, a prominent event on the women’s tour, according to informed sources.

Steve Simon, the CEO of the WTA Tour, visited Saudi Arabia earlier this year, and Billie Jean King, one of the WTA Tour’s founders, expressed support for the event taking place in the country. Nevertheless, the WTA ultimately decided against hosting the event in a country that has only recently granted women the right to drive and where LGBTQ+ individuals and vocal allies face discrimination. As some players on the tour openly identify as gay, such as Daria Kasatkina of Russia, who qualified for the event last year, the tour chose to stage the finals in Cancun, Mexico, under a one-year agreement.

Jabeur declined to comment on the announcement, as did a representative for Sabalenka. Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion from Serbia, had previously expressed support for Saudi Arabia’s investment in the sport, while Alcaraz, the Spaniard, did not voice any objections to playing there. Requests for comment from Sabalenka’s representative are still pending.

(Photo: Robert Deutsch / USA Today)