"I would not go to play there" - Andy Murray shuts down talks about tennis in Saudi Arabia
ATP
As Saudi Arabia continues to circle around a potential involvement in tennis, Andy Murray dismissed talks of him playing in the country.
Saudi Arabia has been widely rumored to be preparing a bid to enter tennis in some capacity. It’s been a long-time rumored move after the country made earlier investments in other sports.
Tennis has a notable presence in the Gulf, with events in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, and with Rafael Nadal building an academy in Kuwait as well.
Saudi Arabia eyeing a move into those circles was always a possibility, but it’s grown in recent times, with talks reportedly set to begin shortly. With the bad human rights record of the country and generally bad reputation in the Western world, many tennis players have been asked about potentially playing in the country.
As a proud feminist, Andy Murray quickly shut down the idea of him ever playing in the country, as he revealed to the press that he actually had a chance to do so earlier but turned it down.
"They put on an event in Saudi Arabia a few years ago and I was offered to play there. I know a number of the other guys on the tour were offered to play there. A lot of the top players turned it down. I wouldn't go and play there."
Murray is not the only player who has shown reservations about playing in Saudi Arabia, but ultimately, as has happened with some other sports, money might convince more than a few big stars to sign up and play there.
Time will tell whether Murray gets another chance at it, but the Brit has generally had a good track record with keeping promises, and feminism is something that’s been very important to him.
Murray has always championed women’s causes, becoming one of the rare tennis players to ever hire a woman as a coach, doing so with Amelie Mauresmo.
