Billionaire Bill Ackman faced harsh criticism from tennis legends Andy Roddick and Martina Navratilova after his debut in professional tennis ended in a defeat at the Hall of Fame Open in Rhode Island.
Ackman, the CEO of hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management, played alongside former tennis pro Jack Sock in a men’s doubles match against Omar Jasika and Bernard Tomic.
The match ended in straight-set defeat for Ackman and Sock, leading to a significant backlash from the tennis community.
Roddick Calls It “The Biggest Joke”
On the “Served” podcast, former world No. 1 Andy Roddick, who won the 2003 U.S. Open, did not hold back in his criticism of Ackman’s pro debut.
“This was a total miss. Now, the job of the Hall of Fame is to preserve and celebrate excellence in our sport,” Roddick said. “This was the biggest joke I’ve ever watched in professional tennis.”
Roddick clarified that his criticism wasn’t personal against Ackman but aimed at the overall situation.
“It’s nothing personal against Bill Ackman. He can do what he wants if his dream was to do it and someone’s going to let him do it,” Roddick added. “It’s not his fault. I don’t blame him, right? Someone has to say yes to this.”
Navratilova Criticizes Ackman’s Wild Card Entry
Legendary Martina Navratilova, a nine-time Wimbledon champion, also weighed in on Ackman’s attempt to enter professional tennis. She shared her thoughts on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Apparently you can buy yourself a wild card. Oh to have the confidence…”
Although no evidence has surfaced to substantiate the claim that Ackman bought his way into the tournament, Jack Sock reportedly invited Ackman to play. Despite the lack of proof, Navratilova’s statement stoked further controversy and discussion around the fairness of Ackman’s participation.
Ackman Responds to the Criticism
Ackman, who described his debut as a dream come true, acknowledged the challenges he faced during the match. “I feel like maybe it’s one and done,” Ackman said after his performance. “But I figured one, in my life, that seemed fair.”
Reflecting on the experience, Ackman shared that he had a stage fright moment like never before. “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,” Ackman wrote on X.
He described how his body froze during the match, affecting his performance. “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,” Ackman confessed. “It got a bit better as the match progressed, but I was not able to overcome it.”
Ackman’s Net Worth and Future in Tennis
Despite the rough debut, Bill Ackman appears unfazed. His net worth, estimated at $9.5 billion by Forbes, provides him the financial freedom to explore his personal passions, including tennis. However, his debut match in the Hall of Fame Open is unlikely to be remembered as a triumph.
Fox News Digital reached out to Pershing Square Capital Management for a comment, but no response was immediately provided.
