The WTA season finals will be held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, between 2024 and 2026, the women’s tennis body announced, ending months of speculation and marking the Persian Gulf country’s latest foray into the sport.
Riyadh will host the season final – featuring the top eight singles players and doubles teams – from November 2 to 9, replacing last year’s host, Cancun (Mexico).
The agreement will allow for a record prize pool that amounts to US$15.25 million this season and will increase in subsequent seasons. After the failed attempts in Cancun and Fort Worth, everyone is fine with the change.
The capital of the Middle Eastern country continues to show signs of economic muscle and wants to become one of the capitals of tennis. They have secured the appointment of teachers for the next three editions, so 2024 to 2026. The dates of the tournament this season are from November 2 to 9.
It is already organizing the ‘Next Gen Finals’ of the men’s circuit in Jeddah and some exhibitions have been held in Riyadh, such as the one featuring Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka and Ons Jabeur last December.
In October they will also hostthe first edition of the “Six Kings Slam”, with the presence of Alcaraz, Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune.
It is worth remembering that Saudi Arabia put US$1.16 billion on the ATP and WTA table to merge the two circuits.
“Having a women’s tournament of this magnitude and profile is a defining moment for tennis in Saudi Arabia. The WTA Finals have the power to inspire far beyond sport, especially our young girls and women,” Prince Abdulaziz told Reuters. bin Turki Al-Faisal Al-Saud, Saudi Minister of Sports.
Rumors that the event could be moved to Saudi Arabia intensified after the men’s ATP Tour announced in August that its Next Gen Finals would be held in Jeddah from 2023 to 2027.
“The WTA selected Riyadh after an exhaustive evaluation process lasting several months, which included evaluating multiple offers from different regions and engaging with the players,” it said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in sports such as football, Formula 1 and golf in recent years, while critics accuse the kingdom of using its Public Investment Fund to “sportwash” its human rights record. The country denies the accusations and says it protects its national security through its laws.
WTA chief Steve Simon said last year that Saudi Arabia had “big problems” hosting women’s tour events, but also acknowledged the progress it had made and continued to engage with players.
“Bringing the WTA Finals to Riyadh is an exciting new opportunity for us and a positive step for the long-term growth of women’s tennis as a global and inclusive sport,” Simon said. “We have been impressed by the commitment shown by the Saudi Tennis Federation to growing the sport at all levels.”
Source: Ambito
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