Billionaire Bill Ackman is about to do something pretty wild. He’s teaming up with four-time Grand Slam doubles champion Jack Sock for a professional tennis tournament.
Yeah, you read that right. A 59-year-old businessman with zero pro experience is going to play at an actual ATP event.
This wasn’t the original plan, though. Nick Kyrgios was supposed to be Ackman’s partner first. The two connected on social media and decided to play together.
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But then Kyrgios got injured.
"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."
That’s when Jack Sock stepped in. The former world No. 8 got a wild card into the 2025 Newport Open and invited Ackman to join him.
"@JackSock managed to get a wildcard into the @TennisHalloFame Hall of Fame Open in Newport Rhode Island, an @atptour Challenger and @WTA 125 event, and invited me to be his partner. I of course accepted. Doubles matches begin next Tuesday, July 8th."
The Newport tournament used to be a bigger deal – it was an ATP 250 event until this year. Now it’s been downgraded to a 125-level challenger but upgraded in another way. It’s become a combined men’s and women’s event, so there’ll be twice the action.
Ackman’s clearly done his homework about the venue. He just played an amateur tournament there and lost in the semifinals with his partner Richey Reneberg.
"The International Tennis Hall of Fame is where the best of the best tennis players from around the world are recognized. @MariaSharapova and Bob and Mike Bryan were inducted this year. @rogerfederer will join the Hall of Fame in 2026."
He’s pretty impressed with the place, calling the grass courts "Wimbledon quality or even better."
Now here’s where it gets interesting. Most people would expect a 59-year-old amateur to get absolutely destroyed playing professional tennis.
But Ackman thinks he’s got a shot.
"I am playing the best tennis of my life and Jack is one of the greatest doubles players ever (he won @Wimbledon and the @usopen, and a gold medal in the Olympics), and we start practice this Friday, so you never know."
Jack Sock really is one of the best doubles players of his generation. He’s won Wimbledon, the US Open, and Olympic gold. If anyone can carry a billionaire through a pro tournament, it’s probably him.
The partnership with Kyrgios isn’t dead either. The 2022 Wimbledon runner-up missed this year’s grass court season because of injury, but Ackman seems keen to make that match happen eventually.
It’s either going to be a complete disaster or the most entertaining tennis match of the year. Maybe both.
