Aryna Sabalenka says she is all in on the WTA-Saudi Arabia project as the top-ranked female tennis player insists the Saudis have been negotiating in good faith and absolutely want to help the sport grow.
For the good portion of 2023, there had been rumors that the WTA was close to giving Saudi Arabia the right to stage the WTA Finals.
While those plans fell apart at the last moment, the stuff that needed to be worked out was addressed in early 2024 and Riyadh ended up being named as the host city for the season-ending tournament for the next three years.
And last November, an official WTA tournament took place on Saudi soil for the first time in tennis history.
Sabalenka, who went 2-1 in the group stage in Riyadh before losing to Coco Gauff in the semifinal, was very pleased with how the event was organized and how the players were received.
Sabalenka: Saudi Arabia’s support is very important for the WTA
“I’ve been there a lot and they have passion for sport. Their help means a lot for us,” the three-time Grand Slam champion told Reuters.
“Their support is very important for the WTA. I think all of us will be very grateful for their support.”
WTA Ventures CEO Martina Storti agreed with Sabalenka’s point, suggesting that everyone benefits from this partnership.
“Our players are very excited to be in a country where they could be inspirational role models,” Storti said.
“It was fantastic to see Coco Gauff as our champion, playing in a full house in front of boys and girls, men and women of Saudi Arabia, who can look to her as an inspirational figure.”
Over the last months, there have been rumors that Saudi Arabia could also soon get a Masters/WTA 1000 tournament.
Considering how the partnerships between the ATP/WTA and the Saudis have been evolving, that wouldn’t be surprising at all.
