The WTA Finals will be hosted in Saudi Arabia involving 2024 and 2026, with document prize income becoming made available at the calendar year-finish match.
Since 2020, the yr-stop party has been hosted in three different areas with one-year contracts, after the WTA boycotted China because of to the disappearance of former participant Peng Shuai.
Nonetheless, it has now been offered a designated host of Riyadh for the following 3 yrs, with the Saudi Arabian money introducing the WTA Finals to the ATP Next Gen Finals.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will host the subsequent a few editions of the WTA Finals from 2024-2026.
The 2024 time-ending Finals will take put November 2-9, that includes the prime 8 singles players and doubles teams in the Race to the #WTAFinals
— wta (@WTA) April 4, 2024
Past year, the event was held in Cancun, Mexico, and received plenty of criticism because of to the seemingly unprepared venue that was remaining created right up until the working day of the event.
On the announcement, WTA Chief Govt Steve Simon revealed the rationale for moving the function to the Center East, “The WTA has been breaking down boundaries for more than 50 yrs. We want to create additional possibilities for women of all ages to perform tennis at the elite level, and I think by carrying out this, we consider that we can encourage much more gals and women to get concerned with the sport.
“We are a global activity. The WTA now has all of these functions and men and women from around the globe that do reflect distinct cultures and programs.”
Saudi Arabia has been rumoured as a potential host of the WTA Finals for a when, getting criticism from the likes of Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert and Daria Kasatkina, with accusations of ‘sportswashing’ owing to numerous human rights breaches from the nation.
The top rated eight singles and doubles players from the 2024 period will contend in Riyadh later this yr, with a history $15.25 million prize cash on offer you, in comparison to the function in Cancun very last yr that offered over $6 million a lot less.
Riyadh will host the WTA Finals later on this calendar year between the 2nd and 9th November.
Within the baseline…
This doesn’t seriously sense like news, as it just about appeared an inevitability that the tours would finally go to Saudi Arabia. It is crystal clear that cash is the key incentive behind this, and it seems rather unrealistic of Steve Simon to recommend that this event is going to alter attitudes. Ideally the crowds are much better than anticipated, but attendances in other WTA activities in the Center East do not provide a great deal hope.
Browse Following: ATP Tour announce new doubles format in a bid to unlock ‘untapped potential’
Be a part of >> Receive $700/£600 of tennis equipment from the Tennishead CLUB
Social >> Facebook, Twitter & YouTube
Read through >> World’s finest tennis journal
Shop >> Lowest cost tennis equipment from our dependable partner
The publish WTA Finals announce Saudi Arabia as host for the next 3 many years appeared to start with on Tennishead.