The tennis world has been left stunned after a billionaire hedge fund manager was allowed to compete in an official ATP-sanctioned event this week.
In a bizarre move that enraged fans and retired pros alike, billionaire Bill Ackman took part in a doubles match at the Hall of Fame Open in Rhode Island on Wednesday.
Ackman – who was listed as a wildcard entry – teamed up with Grand Slam winner Jack Sock for the tournament but the duo were swiftly defeated on the day.
Their opponents, Bernard Tomic and Omar Jasika, needed just one hour and seven minutes to dispatch of Ackman and Sock as they claimed a 6-1, 7-5 victory.
Clips from the match later emerged onto social media and fans swiftly questioned how Ackman – who is worth $9.4 billion, according to Forbes – was allowed to compete in the first place.
One user on X even shared a compilation of Ackman’s involvements from the match and showed the 59-year-old struggling to meet the standards required.
Billionaire Bill Ackman caused controversy as he swapped the boardroom for the tennis court
Ackman played in the Hall of Fame Open – which is an ATP-sanctioned event – on Wednesday
The 59-year-old and his doubles partner Jack Sock (left) were defeated in just over an hour
Ackman was seen double faulting on two points in a row, as well as hitting a number of unforced errors on the day.
The post read: ‘Bill Ackman (59 y/o billionaire hedge fund manager) somehow bought his way into a professional tennis tournament today. It went about as well as you could expect’.
Another user, who also shared a clip from the match, wrote: ‘I guess when you’re worth $9.5 Billion, tour players will treat you like a ‘Make-A-Wish’ child in your ATP Challenger match.
‘Bill Ackman is an absolute joke. Shame on the @TennisHalloFame. Shame on the @atptour for allowing this man to buy a wild card. Where are we, Saudi Arabia?’
Meanwhile, former World No. 1 Andy Roddick, now a podcaster, described it as ‘the biggest joke I’ve watched in professional tennis.’
The Hall of Fame Open is a Challenger level tournament and typically involves young ATP players who compete as a way to earn both ATP points and money.
Reflecting on his defeat, Ackman took to X on Thursday morning and wrote: ‘I can speak in front of an audience of a thousand people or in a TV studio on a broad range of topics without any preparation and without a twinge of fear, but yesterday I had my first real experience with stage fright.
‘I found myself on a tennis court in a live streamed professional tournament with a few hundred in the crowd. Throughout the match, my wrist, arm and body literally froze with the expected negative outcomes.
‘I had difficulty breathing, and it was not a fitness issue. It got a bit better as the match progressed, but I was not able to overcome it.
Fan footage emerged on social media showing Ackman taking part in the ATP event
One moment showed Ackman double-faulting on two points in a row before trudging to the net
Fans on social media were quick to question how Ackman found himself competing on the day
‘I regularly play with mid-20-year-old D1 college players and recently retired pros on a familiar court with no audience with none of the same symptoms.
‘It was a very humbling experience that gives one even more respect for the pros who play for a living in front of the cameras and the crowds’.
Prior to the tournament, the 59-year-old – who is a known tennis benefactor and MAGA supporter – revealed that Nick Kyrgios had proposed a match together before discovering that Sock had been given a wildcard for the Hall of Fame Open.
Taking to X, he wrote: ‘A tennis update. I met @NickKyrgios on @X and he proposed we play an ATP tournament together. Unfortunately, Nick got injured so our doubles hopes have been delayed, but fortunately fate intervened.
‘@JackSock managed to get a wildcard into the Hall of Fame Open in Newport Rhode Island, an Challenger and 125 event, and invited me to be his partner. I of course accepted. Doubles matches begin next Tuesday, July 8th’.
Ackman’s posts came shortly after he expressed his love for Elon Musk and labelled Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani as a ‘communist.’
Ackman’s political stance has also been a topic of discussion, particularly his recent endorsement of Donald Trump in the 2024 election.
A vocal presence on X with over 1.8 million followers, Ackman has been outspoken on various social and political issues, including his support for Trump.
Meanwhile, Ackman’s partner Sock is a 32-year-old American who won four doubles majors and a gold medal in the Olympics before retiring in 2023.
