Andy Roddick's Merciless Critique of Six Kings Slam and Saudi Arabia

Streaming ATP Paris live tennis

🎾 Yunchaokete Bu vs Alexander Shevchenko

* You can watch and bet on this match live here..

Andy Roddick has become one of the most critical voices regarding the Six Kings Slam 2024 and Saudi Arabia's entry into the tennis world. A week after the ostentatious exhibition, where Jannik Sinner took home the highest financial prize in the history of tennis (six million dollars as the champion of the event), the American harshly criticized the spectacle organized by Turki Alalshikh, stating that it makes him "sick" to see how Sinner, in just three days, pocketed such a large sum of money.

Beyond the criticism for the exorbitant financial figures involved, the aspect that A-Rod emphasizes the most and has triggered a certain aversion towards this exhibition is the feeling that everything was "very artificial." At least, that's what he pointed out on his podcast, Served. "Honestly, I never look askance at anyone's choices. If someone pays you that amount of money, you go and do those strange dances. The whole event felt like something unnatural. It was very odd. I wasn't interested in the least. Even the match between Novak and Rafa, I don't know, it wasn't bad, it seemed like an exhibition, but without the charm of a Laver Cup, where you hear the interactions between the players and bring back the legends", remarked the American.

When discussing the economic reward of the tournament, Roddick did not hold back. Apart from the potential of Saudi money, the American focused on the costs of organizing such a tournament, which are lower than those faced by tournaments that have to take care of hundreds of players. "For better or for worse, we are going to see more things like this, more exhibitions with huge budgets. It's much easier to pay Sinner six million dollars if you're not responsible for 122 other players, plus doubles, and this and that. You play on one court, not on many; there are no expenses, and it's also an investment in marketing for the government."

THE FIERCEST CRITIQUE

To expand on a reflection like this, Roddick concluded his speech regarding the Six Kings Slam with a damning phrase, one that encapsulates his displeasure with the media and international relevance of this tournament. "It certainly irks me enormously that Sinner has earned over 25% of the money I made throughout my entire career in just three days of exhibition", sarcastically pointed out the American, who also seems resigned to the possibility that Saudi Arabia might end up hosting an ATP tournament in the future.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La despiadada crítica de Andy Roddick a la Six Kings Slam y Arabia Saudí