 |
| X |
MELBOURNE -- Rafael Nadal said there is real potential to grow the sport of tennis in Saudi Arabia after the 22-time Grand Slam champion was named an ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation.
The role will see the former world No. 1 spend time each year in the desert kingdom to help train children and grow interest in the sport, with plans also in the pipeline for a training academy, the Saudi federation said.
"Everywhere you look in Saudi Arabia, you can see growth and progress and I'm excited to be part of that," Nadal, who pulled out of the ongoing Australian Open with a muscle injury, said Tuesday in a statement.
The Spaniard, who recently visited a junior tennis clinic in Riyadh, struggled with a hip problem last year before making his comeback in Brisbane but expects 2024 to be his final season on the professional tour.
