Ruud: “Discuss about China — If you want to point to Saudi Arabia, you should also mention other countries”

One hardly hears harsh words from Casper Ruud, the world No 8, but it’s all about calling a spade a spade when the Norwegian decides to speak out.

Ruud is in Sweden, fighting for the Stockholm Open men’s singles title as the No 2 seed. He’s already in the quarter-finals, having received a bye in the Round of 32 and defeated Italian Lorenzo Sonego (6-3, 7-6 (3)) in the last 16.

While the Norwegian vies for more glory on the ATP Tour toward the business end of 2024, some of his higher-ranked colleagues swing for lucrative returns in an exhibition called the Six Kings Slam, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The participants include Italy’s Jannik Sinner, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, and Russia’s Daniil Medvedev. The line-up also features soon-retiring Rafael Nadal and world No 14 Holger Rune.

Ruud seems unlikely to say yes to an event of the same kind.

“I didn’t get an offer from the Six Kings Slam but I’ve had offers in the past and I’ve chosen not to go,” Ruud said in a press conference in Sweden. “It is obviously a controversial country, in terms of many things.”

Middle-Eastern nations, including Saudi Arabia, have plowed great money into sports in recent years, with Qatar’s FIFA World Cup in 2022 putting everything in the shade. Tennis is no stranger to the dunes of the Gulf. Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah is the home to Next Gen ATP Finals from 2023-2027 and, after much uproar, the WTA Finals are also set to debut in a couple of weeks in Riyadh this season.

But the sports rush has brought a great deal of attention to gender bias and other questionable laws in effect in these nations, challenging the significance of these countries making headway in the sports industry. Tennis legends like Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert have long opposed the WTA Finals finding a home in Saudi Arabia.

Ruud, however, solicits similar scrutiny for other countries like China.

But there are other countries that also are controversial that we go to and we play in. You can also, just for an example, definitely discuss about China, human rights in China.”

Casper Ruud

“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 point to Saudi Arabia as a controversial country, you should also mention other countries that we’re not talking about.”

Peng, the former world No 1 in WTA doubles and No 14 in singles, disappeared under mysterious circumstances after accusing Zhang Gaoli, ex-Vice Premier of China, of sexual assault in November 2021.

Following the disappearance, the WTA dropped all events scheduled in the Asian country out of their calendar but returned in 2023 despite an official explanation from the Chinese authorities regarding Peng’s whereabouts.

Ruud has his fingers crossed for Saudi Arabia

In the same presser at the Stockholm Open, Casper Ruud put his faith in Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“I know that what I’m gonna say will probably described as sports-washing,” Ruud said. “But it seems to me that their new leader, Salman if I’m not wrong, wants to do something, especially a lot of things in sport and wants to maybe change the country. Maybe make it a bit more westernised.

“For better or good, the athletes going there could lead to a change, who knows, and I know that I might look very naïve saying this because people will say, ‘That’s just sports-washing, covering up what’s actually going on.’ But if they never start anywhere, I’m not sure there will ever be a change.”

Ruud’s next challenge in Stockholm is Dutch Tallon Griekspoor, the No 7 seed. He will take the court against Griekspoor for a spot in the semi-finals with a 2-0 lead in the Tour-level head-to-head.

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