![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/72\/590x\/secondary\/4980744.jpg?r=1695807237638\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Thanasi Kokkinakis has backed tennis\u2019 move into Saudi Arabia weeks after it was announced that the ATP would stage the Next Gen Finals in Jeddah. The world No 71 explained that tennis needed the extra investment as players struggled to make money compared to other sports, where their athletes weren\u2019t \u201creally worrying\u201d because they were comfortable.<\/p>\n
Tennis has become the latest sport to make its way into Saudi Arabia as the nation was given its first official tournament. The 21-and-under Next Gen Finals will be moving to Jeddah in a new five-year deal, while other events could soon follow suit.<\/p>\n
Last year, an exhibition event was staged in Diriyah while there were previously talks that the WTA Finals could be held in Riyadh before the women\u2019s tour settled on Cancun this year. Some players, like Daria Kasatkina, previously condemned the idea of seeing more tournaments in Saudi Arabia, claiming that \u201cmoney talks\u201d.<\/p>\n
But Kokkinakis has now explained why players need the extra financial boost as he supported the tennis tours moving into Saudi. \u201cI think anything to grow the game, anything to get players paid what I think they\u2019re worth, if Saudis wanna invest in tennis, I think is great for the game,\u201d the Australian told Clay Tenis.<\/p>\n
Click here to join our WhatsApp community to be the first to receive breaking and exclusive tennis news<\/strong><\/p>\n Just in <\/strong> Alcaraz thinks about beating Djokovic ‘in training and at every tournament'[LATEST] <\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cObviously you play for the love of the sport and there\u2019s a lot of great events and you don\u2019t want to lose the culture of the Grand Slams and some other big tour events around. But if they are willing to come and help fund the players\u2026 tennis is a tough sport out there.\u201d<\/p>\n The 27-year-old explained that some players just inside the top 100 still had to worry about their finances when it came to making a living and travelling around the circuit when compared with athletes in other sports. He continued: \u201cYou wanna get paid.<\/p>\n We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/72\/590x\/secondary\/4980746.jpg?r=1695807237688\")
<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/72\/590x\/secondary\/4980748.jpg?r=1695807237740\")
<\/p>\n