People say you have to mix politics and sport, but sport is like no man’s land” – Holger Rune’s mother Aneke speaks out on ATP embracing Saudi Arabia

Recently, the ‘6 Kings Slam’ has also been announced. The exhibition tournament is scheduled to take place in October 2024 and will feature Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Jannik Sinner, Rafael Nadal, and Aneke’s son, Holger Rune. The winner of the tournament will reportedly bag a staggering sum of $6 million.Rune’s mother Aneke recently featured as a guest on The Craig Shapiro Tennis Podcast. During its latest episode, she was asked about her opinion on ATP and Saudi Arabia’s growing closeness.
“What I think about it is that I think it’s a country that really wants to get into sports, which I think for the world is a good thing. ” Aneke said (22:46)
Holger Rune’s mother also refused to look at the situation from a political lens. She added:
“A lot of people say you have  mix politics and sport, but in my opinion, sport is like no man’s land. It’s like you can be German, you can be Russian, you can be French, you can be man, woman, whatever you want to be, and you do the sports…

“…I like actually the idea that sport is in every country, I do. I think it brings us together on another level and creates an understanding. We do not have to like all countries, or dislike, but sport brings people together, and it’s positive.”