Tennis star defends Saudi Arabia's rise in sport amid major investment - 'It is inevitable'

Tennis star Casper Ruud believes it is 'inevitable' that Saudi Arabia will play a significant role in the future of tennis.

The Middle East nation has increasingly grown its profile in global sport with their public investment fund in , investing in and have announced partnerships with both ATP and WTA tours, while a disputed £1.5billion offer to buy the tours was rumoured.

Regardless, this week sees Riyadh hosts a tournament including the world's best players. Retiring if he can win just two matches in the Six Kings Slam.

The Spaniard joins Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune in a . The competition will not offer ranking points as it is unsanctioned, but the six players will be guaranteed £1.15m in a tournament that carries the biggest prize purse in the sport's history.

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Former tennis star has described the event as an . Before retiring the Scot had turned down opportunities to play in exhibition matches in Riyadh for millions, due to the human rights record of Saudi Arabia.

Norwegian No.9 Ruud has turned down opportunites to play in the past but has defended the country's current approach to tennis. The 25-year-old believes the nation will play a significant role in the sport.

“Obviously they have a lot of money, and I know what I am going to say will probably be described as sportswashing, but it seems to me that their new leader Mohammed bin Salman wants to do something and especially a lot of things in sport," Ruud told .

“He wants to, maybe, change the country and maybe make it a bit more westernised. Athletes going there could lead to a change, who knows?

“I know that I might look very naive saying this, because people will just say that's sportswashing covering what is actually going on. But if they never started anywhere, I am not sure there would ever be a change. If you want to start with sport, I think it is something that other middle eastern countries have done, you know, welcoming sports people and western culture to their country, like Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Somewhat also Doha in .

“Let's see. I am sure it will be more and more in the future, and there are also a lot of rumours on the ATP tour if there is going to be an extra tournament in Saudi Arabia. I have chosen not to go so far, but it seems to me that it is inevitable, that they will somehow be big in tennis in the future and they already have the Next Gen Finals, so let's see what the future brings.”

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Ruud also highlighted that tennis has problematic relationships with other countries currently on the tour. “I didn't get an offer from the Six Kings Slam, but I have had offers in the past, and I have chosen not to go," he added.

"It is obviously a controversial country in terms of many things, but there are other countries that are controversial as well that we go to and play in.

“You can definitely discuss China and human rights in China, but we go there every year. There was a lot of talk about Peng Shuai and what happened to her, and it's just to say that if you want to put Saudi Arabia as a controversial country, there should be other countries as well that should be mentioned and we don't mention those.”