In addition to being a successful venture capitalist and vocal supporter of President Donald Trump, billionaire Bill Ackman is also apparently a tennis enthusiast. Ackman finally made good on his dream of competing in a pro tennis competition this week, but it was such an obvious gimmick and ugly result that American star Andy Roddick took special time to rip Ackman’s charade to shreds.
After Ackman and retired professional Jack Sock lost a doubles match at the Hall of Fame Open in straight sets, Roddick went so far as to call the match “beneath the Hall of Fame” and called on the Association of Tennis Professionals to investigate the outcome.
“This was a total miss,” Roddick said on his Quick Served podcast. “The job of the Hall of Fame is to preserve and celebrate excellence in our sport. This was the biggest joke I’ve ever watched in professional tennis.”
Roddick is a partner of the International Tennis Hall of Fame and is creating content for the organization this summer. But he would not abide the stunt with Ackman.
“Bill Ackman, who’s been a massive tennis fan, supporter, funds the PTPA, does the whole thing, wanted to play a pro tournament. There was obviously some exchange of something,” he said. “You don’t give a wild card to someone who 50 players at my club are better than.”
Roddick even referenced a previous penalty for Nick Kyrgios in 2016, when the ATP fined Kyrgios for “not trying.” On Quick Served, Reddick argued that Ackman’s opponents may have done the same to give the 59-year-old a chance.
“There was exactly one person on that court trying as hard as they could,” he said. “If you want to argue with me, go back and watch that video. And you can’t tell me there was more than one person trying as hard as they could every point, or any point. It was a disaster.”
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.