WTA Finals signs record deal with Saudi Arabia
The WTA Finals, seen as the fifth major in women’s tennis, will be held in Saudi Arabia for the next three years.
The season-ending tournament featuring the top eight players in the world will offer record prize money of £12m, with further increases in 2025 and 2026.
Saudi Arabia has reportedly held an interest in hosting the WTA’s flagship event for several months, with legends of the sport in Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert among those who have criticised the partnership.
In an editorial for the Washington Post earlier this year, Navratilova said the prospect of Saudi Arabia staging the WTA Finals would be a “step backward” for women and women’s tennis.
Women’s rights are restricted in Saudi Arabia, while the state has been accused of human rights violations by groups such as Amnesty International.
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