Overview

• Bill Ackman, 59, and Jack Sock fell to Omar Jasika and Bernard Tomic 6-1, 7-5 in their first-round doubles match at the Hall of Fame Open.
• Tournament director Randy Walker labeled their performance the worst professional match he had seen, and a USA Today op-ed condemned Ackman’s wildcard as a mockery of pro tennis.
• Ackman and Sock bypassed standard ATP Challenger Tour qualifying criteria after receiving a tournament wildcard into the grass-court event.
• Ackman’s debut highlights his broader influence in the sport as board chair of the Professional Tennis Players Association’s for-profit arm and backer of players like Frances Tiafoe.
• Critics argue that commercial considerations in wildcard allocations undermine meritocratic entry and are demanding clearer criteria for tournament selections.