Saudi Arabia’s PIF, ATP Announce Multi-Year Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Growth of Global Tennis

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and ATP unveiled a new multi-year strategic partnership, marking a significant shared commitment to enhancing global tennis for players, fans, tournament organizers and stakeholders at all levels of the sport.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and ATP unveiled a new multi-year strategic partnership, marking a significant shared commitment to enhancing global tennis for players, fans, tournament organizers and stakeholders at all levels of the sport.
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Saudi Arabia’s PIF, ATP Announce Multi-Year Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Growth of Global Tennis

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and ATP unveiled a new multi-year strategic partnership, marking a significant shared commitment to enhancing global tennis for players, fans, tournament organizers and stakeholders at all levels of the sport.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and ATP unveiled a new multi-year strategic partnership, marking a significant shared commitment to enhancing global tennis for players, fans, tournament organizers and stakeholders at all levels of the sport.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and ATP unveiled on Wednesday a new multi-year strategic partnership, marking a significant shared commitment to enhancing global tennis for players, fans, tournament organizers and stakeholders at all levels of the sport.

The major partnership will see PIF become the official naming partner of the ATP Rankings, celebrating players’ journeys and progress across the season and championing excellence as the Year-End No. 1, presented by PIF, is crowned at the Nitto ATP Finals which will take place in Turin, Italy until 2025.

PIF will partner with ATP Tour events in Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Beijing and the Nitto ATP Finals, in addition to the Next Gen ATP Finals, hosted in Jeddah until 2027. Following the launch of ATP’s Baseline program earlier this year, PIF has further committed to develop and unlock new opportunities for young players and player pathway initiatives, providing a significant boost to the game’s next generation of stars.

The ATP partnership forms part of PIF’s broader sponsorship platform, investing in people, projects and partnerships with an emphasis on the brand’s four pillars: inclusivity, sustainability, youth and technology.

Together, PIF and ATP will also collaborate to elevate the long-term future of tennis. PIF will actively contribute to ATP’s OneVision Strategic Plan which focuses on driving unity, enhancing fan experiences and leveraging scalable growth opportunities across the sport.

“Our strategic partnership with PIF marks a major moment for tennis. It's a shared commitment to propel the future of the sport,” said ATP CEO Massimo Calvelli.

“With PIF’s dedication to the next generation – fostering innovation and creating opportunities for all – the stage is set for a transformative new period of progress,” he stressed.

Mohamed AlSayyad, Head of Corporate Brand at PIF, said: “As PIF expands its portfolio of innovative sponsorships, our commitment to 'Invested in Better' remains unwavering. Through our collaboration with ATP, PIF will be a catalyst for growth of the global tennis landscape, developing talent, fostering inclusivity and driving sustainable innovation.”

“This strategic partnership aligns with our broader vision to enhance quality of life and drive transformation in sport both within Saudi and across the world,” he added.

Tennis is rapidly becoming a key sport in Saudi Arabia with the number of registered players increasing by 46% between 2019 and 2023. PIF will leverage ATP’s expertise to develop further opportunities for young Saudis in tennis, including through state-of-the-art facilities, coaching, and an enhanced player pathway in Saudi Arabia.

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) is one of the largest and most impactful sovereign wealth funds in the world. Since 2015, when the Board was reconstituted and oversight transferred to the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, PIF’s board of directors has been chaired by Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, Chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, and Chairman of the Public Investment Fund.

PIF plays a leading role in advancing Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation and diversification, as well as contributing to shaping the future of the global economy. Since 2017, PIF has established over 90 companies.

PIF is building a diversified portfolio by entering into attractive and long-term investment opportunities in 13 strategic sectors in Saudi Arabia and globally.



Lionel Messi, Inter Miami Pull off 3-goal Rally to Top LAFC, Make CONCACAF Champions Cup Semis

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) celebrates scoring on a penalty kick against the Los Angeles FC during the second half of a CONCACAF Nations League Quarterfinal Match at Chase Stadium, Wednesday, April 9, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Jim Rassol)
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) celebrates scoring on a penalty kick against the Los Angeles FC during the second half of a CONCACAF Nations League Quarterfinal Match at Chase Stadium, Wednesday, April 9, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Jim Rassol)
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Lionel Messi, Inter Miami Pull off 3-goal Rally to Top LAFC, Make CONCACAF Champions Cup Semis

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) celebrates scoring on a penalty kick against the Los Angeles FC during the second half of a CONCACAF Nations League Quarterfinal Match at Chase Stadium, Wednesday, April 9, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Jim Rassol)
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) celebrates scoring on a penalty kick against the Los Angeles FC during the second half of a CONCACAF Nations League Quarterfinal Match at Chase Stadium, Wednesday, April 9, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Jim Rassol)

Down 1-0 on the scoreboard, down 2-0 in total goals in the series and needing three goals to advance, Inter Miami needed a most unlikely rally.

Lionel Messi made it happen.

Inter Miami is headed to the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals for the first time, after Messi — the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner — led a dramatic three-goal comeback. He had two goals, including the clinching penalty kick in the 84th minute, to lift Inter Miami past LAFC 3-1 on Wednesday night and a 3-2 aggregate win in the two-leg series.

“We gave it our all,” Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said. “We wanted it, we wanted to be in the semis, and I think it showed. ... Many times luck has to be on your side, and we had it.”

Maybe it was luck. Maybe it was Messi. Maybe it was both, The AP news reported.

For Messi, the series clincher was a bit reminiscent of how he led Argentina past France in the World Cup final in 2022. He scored two goals in that match, one on a penalty kick — then also converted in the penalty-shot shootout that decided the final after it ended in a 3-3 tie. Those goals came against France’s Hugo Lloris, who was also in net for LAFC on Wednesday night.

Lloris couldn’t solve Messi in the World Cup final — and couldn’t in this one, either. Messi simply waited for Lloris to move a bit on the penalty that put Inter Miami up 3-1, essentially freezing the keeper before gently sending the ball into the right side of the net.

And when the final whistle sounded, Mascherano punched the air in celebration.

“They believed,” Mascherano said.

Oscar Ustari made two huge stops in the final minutes for Inter Miami, which will face the Vancouver Whitecaps in the tournament’s semifinals. The first leg of that two-leg matchup is set to start on either April 22, 23 or 24.

Aaron Long scored in the ninth minute to give LAFC a 1-0 lead, but it put Inter Miami in a much deeper hole than that. Inter Miami lost the series opener at LAFC 1-0, so Long’s goal not only gave LAFC a 2-0 aggregate lead — but it also gave his club control of the away-goals tiebreaker.

That meant Inter Miami needed at least three goals from there to advance. It might have seemed unlikely.

With Messi, all things are possible.

Messi started the rally in the 35th, getting loose near the top of the 18-yard box and scoring with the left foot to tie the match at 1 — giving Inter Miami some hope.

Inter Miami took a 2-1 lead in the 61st on a bit of a fluke; Noah Allen chipped a ball into the box, playing it toward Federico Redondo. Lloris came off his line, anticipating Redondo to play the ball — but it bounced off the grass, skipped past them and ended up in the side of the net. The goal was originally credited to Allen, with Messi getting an assist, but was changed later in the evening to Redondo scoring with Allen assisting.

Either way, that knotted the aggregate at 2-2, but LAFC still held the away-goal tiebreaker. And in the 67th, Inter Miami thought it grabbed the lead in the series when Messi played a ball into the box that Luis Suarez appeared to flick into the net on a header — but the flag came up for offside, taking the goal off the board.

Inter Miami kept the pressure on throughout, then argued successfully for a handball call that Messi turned into a 3-1 lead and a spot in the semifinals. It was his 42nd goal in 48 appearances across all competitions since joining Inter Miami.

“This is the way,” Mascherano said. “This is the way to play football. ... They gave everything. I’m very happy.”