NEW YORK (AP) — Saudi Arabia’s move into tennis will now include a multiyear deal to sponsor the WTA women’s rankings.
The WTA released word of its partnership agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) on Monday, a move that follows last month’s news that the kingdom will host the tour’s season-ending championships in Riyadh starting this year and February’s announcement that it will sponsor the ATP men’s rankings.
Both tours’ rankings deals are for five years.
The PIF is the first naming-rights partner for the WTA rankings and the new arrangement also includes plans to promote tennis at lower levels of the sport.
Tennis has been consumed lately by the debate over whether the sport should follow golf and others in making deals with Saudi Arabia, where rights groups say women continue to face discrimination in most aspects of family life and homosexuality is a major taboo, as it is in much of the rest of the Middle East.
Shiloh Jolie paid for her own lawyer to drop Pitt surname
Six months into Gaza war, Israel faces deepening isolation
Hong Kong news: Hong Kong police block Tiananmen Square candlelit vigil
Laura Kuenssberg: West facing 'authoritarian' alliance, says NATO chief
US dampens criticism of El Salvador's president as migration overtakes democracy concerns
US Assessing Expansion of Chip Export Controls Impacting China's Military
Changes to road user charges will see EV owners paying more, climate expert says
I've spent a decade going on more than 120 cruises
24% rates hikes proposed for Napier