Saudi Arabia’s speculated takeover of the WTA Finals will not happen in 2023 but a multi-year deal is in the pipework.
Sources speaking on the condition of anonymity have confirmed to UbiTennis that the Middle Eastern nation will not be hosting the end-of-season event in November despite previously presenting an offer to the WTA.
It is understood that their focus is now solely on hosting the ATP Next Gen Finals for the first time. The men’s event features the eight highest-ranked players under the age of 21 and starts straight after the Davis Cup finals. Although it is expected to take place in December from 2024 onwards.
Furthermore, the head of the Saudi Tennis Federation, Arij Mutabagani, said in a recent interview with The National that the possibility of including women in the Next Gen Finals could occur as early as next year.
As for the WTA Finals, a source familiar with the ongoing situation has claimed that there is a ‘99 percent’ chance that Saudi will become the home of the event for three consecutive seasons (2024-2026). It is unclear if this will be officially announced this year or next. Such a deal is expected to be worth millions.
In recent months Saudi Arabia and their Private Investment Fund have elevated their interest in tennis. However, the country has faced numerous allegations of using sports to improve its reputation which has been affected by wrongdoing. A term which is better known as sportswashing.
Jessica Pegula, who is a member of the WTA Players Council, understands the complex topic of playing in Saudi Arabia but believes there are more positives than negatives, “We’d obviously have to see there be a lot of pros overweighing the cons to feel comfortable going there, whether that’s seeing them as a group, maybe have to donate money to women’s sports or women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, to see some sort of change or action going towards helping those causes in their country,” said Pegula.
“I think that would be something really important that, if we did end up going there, we would want to see. I think it’s just going to have to be the right arrangement and we’re going to have to know if we go there, okay, well, we want to be making a change, and you need to help us do that. If that was the case, I think unfortunately a lot of places don’t pay women a lot of money, and it’s unfortunate that a lot of women’s sports, like we don’t have the luxury to say no to some things.”
The WTA Finals are the biggest women’s event outside of the Grand Slams in terms of both prize money and ranking points on offer. In recent years a deal was signed with China to hold the event in Shanghai before officials suspended operations in the region over concerns that ex-world No.1 Peng Shuai was being censored by officials after accusing a former government official of sexual assault.
In 2021 it was held in Mexico before moving to America last year. There is still yet to be an official announcement over the location of this year’s event. The Czech Republic and America have all been previously mentioned as contenders but an official announcement will be made after the US Open.
