McEnroe slams ‘laughable’ money-grabbing tennis ploy

Jeddah will host the ATP Subsequent Gen Finals till 2027, and it has been speculated that extra tournaments are on the radar of the oil-rich nation.

McEnroe, who’s in Australia to commentate on the Australian Open, has additionally seen studies that Saudi Arabia is raring to buy high-profile tennis tournaments the Miami Open and Madrid Open, and was not afraid to voice his opinion on that improvement.

“It wouldn’t shock me,” McEnroe informed ESPN previous to the event beginning.

“Let’s put it this fashion: cash talks. ‘Oh, no, I wouldn’t try this. How a lot was I provided? On second thought possibly I’ll try this.’

The transfer that really offends McEnroe is that of transferring the WTA Finals to Saudi Arabia.

“Personally, I disagree with it fully, with the golf and the tennis,”

“The women are going to play the WTA Finals there? Are you kidding me?

“As a result of they deal with girls so properly? That half is to me laughable.

“On the identical time, which can be laughable, is the folks that may criticise tennis gamers or golfers for doing one thing that just about each enterprise and the federal government do, which is take care of Saudi Arabia.

“This concept that tennis gamers need to set the ethical commonplace, or golfers for that matter, after they’re all making the cash, it’s a complete joke so far as I’m involved. We’ll see what occurs.”

One participant who went on file lately as having touted the positives of a LIV Golf-style tennis breakaway event was controversial Australian Nick Kyrgios.

“I might have been the primary one to leap off. I might have gone. I might have simply let the ATP ship sink,” Kyrgios informed the Athletic of a hypothetical Saudi-backed tour.

8.45AM: ALCARAZ KEEN TO TOPPLE RLA KING

– AFP

Carlos Alcaraz is the headline acts within the males’s draw on day three of the Australian Open on Tuesday.

Wimbledon champion Alcaraz is vying with Novak Djokovic for the coveted primary spot through the event at Melbourne Park.

The Spaniard, 20, edged the Serbian nice in an exhilarating ultimate on the All England Membership final 12 months to win his second main.

Since that assembly at Wimbledon world primary Djokovic, a 10-time winner in Melbourne, has come out on prime twice in opposition to his younger opponent, together with on the ATP Finals in November.

However Alcaraz, who missed final 12 months’s Australian Open with a hamstring damage, is undaunted as he prepares for his first match in opposition to veteran Frenchman Richard Gasquet.

He mentioned the problem of toppling Djokovic – king of Rod Laver Enviornment – gave him “additional motivation”.

“I all the time need to play in opposition to the perfect gamers on the earth to see what my degree is,” he mentioned.

“Clearly it’s an excellent check, taking part in in opposition to him within the locations or within the event that he’s virtually unbeaten.

“Yeah, I’m trying to attain the ultimate and hopefully taking part in a ultimate in opposition to him. It could be nice, clearly.”

8.30AM: ‘NO REGRETS’ FOR OSAKA AFTER FIRST-ROUND EXIT

Naomi Osaka mentioned she had no regrets and had finished “the perfect that I may presumably do” after her Grand Slam comeback got here to an abrupt halt on the Australian Open on Monday.

A single break proved sufficient for French sixteenth seed Caroline Gracia to win the opening set in opposition to her rusty opponent earlier than dominating a second set tie-break to win 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) within the first spherical.

Japanese star Osaka, who has gained 4 Grand Slams, stepped away from tennis in September 2022, citing psychological well being issues.

After giving start to a child woman, Shai, in July, she determined to return for the 2024 season.

“I felt like I did the perfect that I may presumably do. It was simply very nice to be on Rod Laver once more, hear the viewers, how a lot they interacted with the match. That was enjoyable,” she mentioned.

“After all I’ve to inform myself, ‘Hey, like six months in the past you had been pregnant’, stuff like that. After all, there’s a voice in my head that’s, ‘Who’re you to assume you’ll be able to come again and instantly begin successful matches?’

“I don’t know. I type of all the time count on myself to face an opportunity anyhow. So I suppose simply being nicer to myself is sort of a key factor that I realized in my time away.”

Initially revealed as Australian Open 2024 day 3: Newest information, outcomes and highlights from Melbourne Park