"Can't take moral high ground when you play in UK; don't get me started on US" - Fans react to Casper Ruud's Saudi Arabia remark amid Six Kings Slam

Casper Ruud spoke about tournaments being held in Saudi Arabia and other countries he considered "controversial". However, the Norwegian's comments attracted criticism from fans

Saudi Arabia is currently hosting the Six Kings Slam, featuring top players like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. While the event offers no ATP ranking points, it boasts a substantial prize pool, with each participant earning a minimum of $1.5 million and the winner receiving $6 million.

The desert kingdom has also sanctioned a three-year deal with the WTA (Women's Tennis Association) according to which it will host the WTA Finals for the next three editions, from 2024 to 2026. Such events could be crucial in inspiring growth and participation in tennis across Saudi Arabia.

However, these deals have faced criticism from many fans and pundits, who have labeled them as "sportswashing." The criticism stems from Saudi Arabia's reputation regarding human rights, including restrictive policies toward women and the LGBTQ+ community.

Casper Ruud, who is currently competing at the Nordic Open, recently opined on the matter. The 25-year-old revealed that although he didn't get an offer to play at the Six Kings Slam, he had previous offers to play in Saudi Arabia which he declined.

While he acknowledged the controversies surrounding Saudi Arabia, he questioned why the same perception isn't applied to other countries that have faced similar situations.

"I didn't get an offer from Six Kings Slam, but I have had offers in the past and I chose not to go. It is of course a controversial country in many ways, but there are also other countries that are controversial that we travel to and play in," Ruud told SpilXperten.

Ruud further cited an example of China to back his claims.

"You can certainly discuss China and human rights there, 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,” he added.

Several fans later reacted to Ruud's comments, with one pointing out the hypocrisy of criticizing Saudi Arabia while participating in events in the UK and the US, nations that have their respective issues.

"Saudi a "controversial" country? Casper I'm sorry but you can't take a moral high ground when you play in the UK, a country that banned Russians from playing at Wimbledon, a country that has put people in jail for mean social media posts.... and don't get me started on the US," the fan wrote.

"The rest pay peanuts compared to saudi big pay days and no moral fibre on the sporting particapants," a fan said.

"Human right is only an issue when it comes to non western countries," another chimed in.

Here are a few more reactions from the fans:

"Finally a player expresses how i feel about stuff like this," a fan wrote.

"I absolutely hate him but he’s right and I respect this a lot," a fan commented," another commented.

"Finally someone talking sense," a fan said.

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Casper Ruud to face Tallon Griekspoor in the Nordic Open QF

Casper Ruud is through to the quarterfinals of the Nordic Open - Source: Getty

Casper Ruud has qualified for the quarterfinals of the Nordic Open, where he will face the Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor.

Ruud, the second seed in the tournament, received a bye in the first round. He defeated Italy's Lorenzo Sonego 6-3, 7-6(3) in the second round, becoming the first player from his country to win a match in Stockholm tournament history.

The quarterfinal encounter against Griekspoor will mark their third meeting on tour, with Ruud holding a 2-0 lead in their head-to-head record. The winner of this match will face either Dominic Stricker or Grigor Dimitrov in the semifinals.