For the next three years, the WTA Finals, known as the fifth major in women’s tennis, will take place in Saudi Arabia and this has raised many concerns among some important figures.
The season-ending competition involving the top eight players worldwide will offer record prize money of £12 million, with additional increases this coming 2025 and 2026.
The WTA’s main tournament has apparently been in consideration for Saudi Arabia for months now, and the collaboration has been criticized by tennis greats Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. Navratilova stated that having the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia would be a “step backwards” for women and women’s tennis, as stated in a Washington Post.
The Saudi Arabian WTA Finals
Apparently, women’s rights are curtailed and same-sex relationships are illegal in the said country. The state has been accused with violating human rights by organizations like Amnesty International. More so, Saudi Arabia has been accused of attempting to “sportswash” its reputation abroad by focusing on major sports like football, golf, and boxing.
Some of the most well-known female athletes compete in women’s tennis, and Saudi Arabia’s decision to host the WTA Finals marks the country’s first major step in allowing a major women’s sports event to take place.
The WTA Tour met with Navratilova and Evert, and CEO and chairman Steve Simon told the Associated Press that they had discussed all the possible issues and concerns.
Simon stated: “We’ve also shared the concerns around women’s rights and LGBTQ+ rights within the Kingdom of Saudi… Our focus is on how we develop women’s tennis for the benefit of everybody involved in the game.”
Cover Photo: IG
Source: Yahoo Sports