"It doesn't seem bad to me" - Carlos Alcaraz stands up for Rafael Nadal amid backlash for his Saudi ambassador role

Carlos Alcaraz has shared his support for Rafael Nadal taking up the role of the Saudi Tennis Federation's ambassador, despite the latter facing severe backlash for his decision.

Nadal caused a furor within the tennis community by announcing his decision to sign on as the ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation to promote and support the growth of tennis in the country.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion's appointment was not well-received by tennis fans, who saw him as being complicit in Saudi Arabia's attempts to divert attention from its human rights issues - a strategy commonly referred to as 'sportswashing.'

However, Carlos Alcaraz, speaking to the press ahead of his title defense at the Argentina Open, disclosed that he hadn't heard any such criticism directly. He also stood up for Rafael Nadal, asserting that the role wasn't negative, as the former World No. 1 simply aimed to promote tennis in an area where it lacked exposure.

"I haven't heard much criticism, I have heard people say that they have criticized him. Rafa has decided to sign as an ambassador and it doesn't seem bad to me. He has signed as an ambassador of tennis in a country that is developing and opening up to the world of sport. Who better than Rafa to promote tennis in places where perhaps it was never played before?" he said (via Marca).

The 20-year-old then suggested that expanding to Saudi Arabia could benefit tennis by providing more venues for the sport to flourish. Alcaraz also highlighted the country's significant investment in football and boxing, indicating a potential for similar funding for tennis.

"It is good for tennis that there are more venues, that there are more and more countries where we can play. Saudi Arabia is evolving very quickly in every sense, as a country and in the world of sport. They are betting on football, boxing, now a lot of tennis. I don't know how far they will go in the world of tennis," he added.

Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz to take part in '6 Kings Slam' exhibition event in Saudi Arabia

Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal

Carlos Alcaraz's view on promoting tennis in Saudi Arabia comes as no surprise, given his participation in a blockbuster exhibition match against Novak Djokovic in Riyadh in December 2023.

The World No. 2 is also set to join Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in headlining the '6 Kings Slam' exhibition event in October as part of the Riyadh Season extravaganza in Saudi Arabia. Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, and Holger Rune will complete the lineup for the star-studded event.

The event promises to be a lucrative one for the participants, with the winner of the competition reportedly pocketing a whopping £4.8 million ($6 million) in prize money, while each player is guaranteed a substantial £1.2 million ($1.5 million) appearance fee.