logo
Billionaire Hedge Fund Investor Bill Ackman Loses Pro Tennis Debut

Billionaire Hedge Fund Investor Bill Ackman Loses Pro Tennis Debut

Yahoo16-07-2025
It's not often that a pro tennis player spends time the day before their match re-posting on X about New York's mayoral race, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or Jeffrey Epstein—much less all three topics. But Bill Ackman is not your typical tennis pro.
The 59-year-old hedge fund manager joined 32-year-old Jack Sock—a three-time Grand Slam winner—for this week's Hall of Fame Open doubles tournament in Newport, R.I., losing 6-1, 7-5 to Australians Omar Jasika and Bernard Tomic, a 32-year-old former world No. 17 singles player attempting another rise up the rankings.
More from Sportico.com
Alcaraz Outlasts Sinner to Win French Open, $2.9M in Prize Money
Sponsors Back Sinner Despite Three-Month Doping Ban
French Open Won't End American Men's Tennis Drought, McEnroe Says
The tournament granted Sock and Ackman a wild-card entry. Ackman previously said Sock would be able to keep the reported $2,030 in prize money that would accompany a win. The duo that wins Sunday's championship match will receive $9,900. The grass-court tournament is an ATP Challenge Tour-level event this year after being played as an ATP 250 contest previously.
Ackman is no stranger to the world of pro tennis, even if he made his ATP-level debut at just shy of 60. He is one of the key backers behind a tennis players trade association—and the board chair for the Professional Tennis Players Association's for-profit arm—and has also financially supported individual prospects, including Frances Tiafoe.
'I have had a lifelong passion for tennis, both as a player and a fan, but have long recognized the challenges that most professional tennis players experience due to the sport's inferior economics for all but the very top of the rankings ladder,' Ackman said in 2023.
Ackman eyed competing alongside Nick Kyrgios earlier this year, though injuries to the Australian derailed those plans. Every tournament reserves a few wild card slots, which are are frequently given to relatively big names interested in competing, though controversy has arisen when relatives of other players or those with commercial connections to events are let in over higher-ranked alternatives. Sock's last pro match had been in 2023; he has since focused on podcasting and pickleball.
Ackman played tennis in high school at Horace Greeley but did not play in college, focusing on crew instead. Since then, primarily as the founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, he has developed a net worth of $9.4 billion, according to Forbes. He reportedly previously paid $100,000 to play in a charity doubles match against John McEnroe, one of multiple overlaps between his philanthropic efforts and the sport.
He recently played in the Finance Cup tournament at Newport's International Tennis Hall of Fame, making the semifinals with 1987 ATP Newcomer of the Year—and current global co-head of investor relations and marketing for Taconic Capital—Richey Reneberg.
'I am playing the best tennis of my life,' Ackman posted on X afterwards.
The Rhode Island location was the original home of what is now the U.S. Open tournament, dating back to 1881. The museum was established in 1954. Ackman and his Pershing Square Foundation are members of the Hall of Fame's 'Founder's Circle,' an honor given to 'philanthropic leaders whose passion and devotion have preserved and sustained this historic property and institution.'
Ackman showed up for the match in an all-white Nike get-up; Pershing has invested in the sporting good giant, with Ackman supporting new CEO Elliott Hill.
Ackman has been increasingly outspoken on social and political issues on X, endorsing Donald Trump in 2024. He has 1.8 million followers on the platform, more than Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner combined. Ackman has been particularly vocal about NYC's mayoral race, offering to fund a centrist alternative to recent Democratic primary winner Zohran Mamdani.
Best of Sportico.com
Panthers Win Second Stanley Cup Under Owner Vincent Viola
Top 50 Highest-Paid Athletes of All Time
Highest-Paid Athletes in the World: Full List
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

LA Sparks' Cameron Brink nears return after 13-month ACL recovery
LA Sparks' Cameron Brink nears return after 13-month ACL recovery

Yahoo

time24 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

LA Sparks' Cameron Brink nears return after 13-month ACL recovery

NEW YORK (AP) — Cameron Brink can see the light at the end of the tunnel. She's been out for 13 months after tearing the ACL in her left knee in a game at Connecticut in June last season. Now she's been cleared to play again and is eager to get back on the court with her Los Angeles Sparks teammates. 'I feel great. I'm super thankful that the Sparks have let me take my time and really feel great coming back,' Brink said to a few reporters after shootaround Saturday. 'I'm excited to be out there with my teammates.' Brink has been working toward playing in a game. After the Sparks finished their pregame shootaround, Brink went to the Barclays Center practice court and got in another 20-minute workout. 'I've put in a lot of hard work. I feel like what people usually see is me living my life normally, but people don't see the hours and hours that I put in the gym with my trainers, amazing training staff," she said. 'I've been working my (behind) off, so I definitely see the light at the end of the tunnel for sure.' Coach Lynne Roberts said that Brink won't play against the Liberty on Saturday night, but expects the 6-foot-4 forward back soon. Three of their next four games are at home after Saturday. 'It's hard to come in midseason, and then you add the mental aspect that every athlete struggles with being out that long,' Roberts said. Brink's been around the team as much as she could over the past year and also found ways to keep herself busy during the long rehab process, starting a podcast and graduating from Stanford. 'It's really tough mental, waking up every day and watching your team from the sideline cheering everyone on. I love cheering on my teammates, but there comes a point where I want to be out there too,' Brink said. 'So, I'm just really happy to be at that point and just thankful for everyone along the way.' Brink said that it's been tough during the long recovery period. She knows it will take time to get back to where she was before she got injured. Before she got hurt, Brink, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, was averaging 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. 'It's a little nerve-wracking for sure., I'm just really going to try to be patient with myself because I'm definitely not where I was last year,' she said. 'It's still a work in progress, but yeah, just thankful for the fans. Really excited to be able to just go out there and do what I love.' ___ AP WNBA:

Steelers announce 2025 Hall of Honor class headlined by Ben Roethlisberger
Steelers announce 2025 Hall of Honor class headlined by Ben Roethlisberger

Yahoo

time24 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Steelers announce 2025 Hall of Honor class headlined by Ben Roethlisberger

Few NFL franchises can boast the sheer volume of talent over the decades that the Pittsburgh Steelers can. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is filled with former Steelers and the franchise has six Super Bowl championships. The team also has their own Ring of Honor and each year a select few former Steelers legends get their names added. On Saturday, the Steelers announced the three former Steelers who will be a part of the 2025 class. This class is headlined by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He is joined by center Maurkice Pouncey and outside linebacker Joey Porter. To be considered for the Hall of Honor, a player must be retired for at least three seasons, have spent at least three seasons with the Steelers, and obviously have had a significant impact on the team during their tenure. Other members of the Hall of Honor include Terry Bradshaw, Joe Greene, Franco Harris, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, Mel Blount, Mike Webster, Dermontti Dawson, John Stallworth, Rod Woodson, Troy Polamalu, Donnie Shell, Ernie Stautner, Jerome Bettis, and Alan Faneca. According to the team's press release, the Steelers will welcome the 2025 Hall of Honor Class when the team takes on the Miami Dolphins on Monday, Dec. 15. This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers announce 2025 Hall of Honor class headlined by Ben Roethlisberger

The Democratic Party's Brand Is Cooked
The Democratic Party's Brand Is Cooked

Yahoo

time24 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

The Democratic Party's Brand Is Cooked

Voters have increasingly little faith in the Democrats, a new Wall Street Journal poll found, with the party reaching its lowest favorability rating in more than three decades. Voters overwhelmingly believe that Republicans are better able to handle key issues in Congress than Democrats. The survey found that the majority of voters, 63 percent, have an unfavorable view of the Democratic Party. Only 33 percent hold a favorable view. This is the most unpopular that Democrats have been according to Journal polls dating back to 1990. As President Donald Trump enacts an increasingly authoritarian agenda and provides little economic benefit to the average American, Democrats are hopeful anti-Trump backlash will give them a strong showing in the 2026 midterm election. While slightly more people expect to vote for Democrats next year than Republicans, according to the Journal poll, Democrats' overall favorability has only dropped since Trump took office. 'The Democratic brand is so bad that they don't have the credibility to be a critic of Trump or the Republican Party,' John Anzalone, a Democratic pollster who worked on the survey, told the Journal. 'Until they reconnect with real voters and working people on who they're for and what their economic message is, they're going to have problems.' Anzalone's firm, which consulted for both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaigns, worked on the survey with Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio. According to the survey, voters think Republicans in Congress are more capable at handling the economy, inflation and rising prices, tariffs, immigration, 'illegal' immigration, the Russia-Ukraine war, and foreign policy. On the topic of 'illegal' immigration, 48 percent have their faith in Republicans and 24 percent choose Democrats. Democrats scored higher on health care and vaccine policy. Both parties tied at 37 percent on the issue of looking out for middle class families. 'As much as I fully believe that Democrats are not doomed for all eternity, I also believe that many Democrats aren't quite grappling with the serious credibility problems the party still faces,' Democratic operative Tré Easton posted on X. 'The podcasts and everything are real cute, but we've got work to do.' Democrats also scored low in a Quinnipiac poll released earlier this month. In that survey, approval of congressional Democrats reached a new low of 19 percent, with 72 percent of voters saying they disapproved. 'This is a record low since March 2009 when the Quinnipiac University Poll first began asking this question of registered voters,' the university wrote. The Quinnippiac poll found that even registered Democrats disapproved of the party: Thirty-nine percent approved of how Democrats in Congress were handling their jobs, while 52 percent disapproved. Among registered Republicans, 77 percent approved of how Republicans are operating in Congress. In the findings from the Journal, voters are mixed on Trump. About half, or 55 percent, of voters say the country is headed in the wrong direction. This is down from 70 percent in January, meaning voters have become more optimistic since Trump took office, yet Trump is not wildly popular. He has a favorability rating of 45 percent, and an unfavorability rating of 52 percent. A total of 46 percent approve of what Trump is doing as president, and 52 percent disapprove. Fifty-three percent disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy, while 44 percent approve. On the issues of inflation, tariffs, immigration, looking out for middle class families, health care, vaccine policy, foreign policy, and the Russia-Ukraine war, voters disapprove of the job Trump is doing. On the topic of 'illegal' immigration, though, 51 percent approve and 49 percent disapprove. The Republican Party is not wildly popular either, though, with 54 percent of voters having an unfavorable view, compared to the 43 percent who have a favorable view. More from Rolling Stone Trump Claims Someone May Have Forged His Signature on Birthday Letter to Epstein I Worked With Stephen Colbert. Here's Why His Cancellation Should Scare You Yes, America Is an Oligarchy Best of Rolling Stone The Useful Idiots New Guide to the Most Stoned Moments of the 2020 Presidential Campaign Anatomy of a Fake News Scandal The Radical Crusade of Mike Pence

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store