The 59-year-old billionaire and hedge fund manager faced swift backlash after he made his long awaited entrance into the pro tennis ranks in Rhode Island.

Bill Ackman, a 59-year-old billionaire, made his professional tennis debut at the age of 59 on Thursday, with Andy Roddick branding the match "the biggest joke I've ever watched"

The loss came in the Hall of Fame Open, an official tournament of the lower-level ATP Challenger tour, which effectively made Mr. Ackman a tennis pro, if only for a day. It fulfilled a lifelong ambition — and, more than likely, he said, ended his career.

Following widespread criticism from the tennis world, billionaire Bill Ackman took to his X account to share his thoughts. The 59-year-old

“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 Tennis Hall of Fame, shame on the ATP Tour for allowing this man to buy a wildcard,” one fan wrote sharing a clip of Ackman.

A billionaire hedge fund manager will team up with a two-time Wimbledon winner to make his ATP debut later this week. Bill Ackman is the founder and chief executive officer of Pershing Square Capital Management,

Tennis fans have slammed US billionaire Bill Ackman for making a mockery of the sport after he and veteran Jack Sock were destroyed by Bernard Tomic and Omar Jasika in a professional match that looked more like a casual hit around with friends than one where prizemoney was on the line.