Saudi Arabia has definitively conquered tennis. A few months ago, the agreement between ATP and PIF, the Public Investment Fund, was announced. The men’s circuit, however, is not enough: the expansion is total. The announcement has arrived of a multi-year partnership between the Saudi fund itself and the WTA. The objectives to be pursued are the same as those declared in the previous agreement with the ATP. “The shared ambition to grow women’s professional tennis and inspire more women and girls around the world to take up the sport,” read the joint statement.
the news
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As in the case of the men’s circuit, the WTA ranking will also change name: PIF will become the first ever naming partner of the women’s ranking. In this context, the Saudi fund aims to follow “the journeys of the players and PIF will work with the WTA to celebrate and support the progress of the players and their unique and inspiring stories”: a clear intent as can be seen from the press release. Marina Storti, CEO of WTA Ventures, said: “Together, we look forward to sharing the journey of our talented tennis players throughout the season, as we continue to grow the sport, grow tennis fans and inspire more young people to dedicate yourself to the game.” Also in the same vein is Mohamed AlSayyad, the Head of Corporate Brand of PIF: “Through our partnership with the WTA, PIF will continue to be a catalyst for the growth of women’s sport”.
THE DEFINITIVE CONQUEST
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After entering the worlds of golf, Formula 1 and football, Saudi Arabia is also all-in in tennis. The agreements signed with the ATP and WTA are the beginning of a path that already has concrete implications. After having obtained the organization of the Next Gen ATP Finals, they made Riyadh official as the venue for the WTA Finals (a very popular tournament in recent years with constant changes in cities and unsuitable venues) from 2024 to 2026. In addition to the official tournaments, the 6 Kings Slams are expected: a performance in which Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune will participate. The rules of the format have not yet been established, but the prize money is known and is dreamlike: six million dollars for the victory and nine-figure figures also for the remaining players. In short, a great show for men: will it now also be presented for women?
