Saudi Arabia is going to sponsor the WTA women's tennis rankings under a new partnership
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.
Related articles
Lynn Williams breaks NWSL goal
Lynn Williams scored her 79th league goal, becoming the National Women’s Soccer League all-time scor2024-05-21Russia warns to intensify attacks on Western arms storage in Ukraine
Russia will intensify attacks on logistics centers and storage facilities of Western weapons in Ukra2024-05-21Columbia University encampment holds on as negotiation in progress
People participate in a pro-Palestinian demonstration as police officers stand guard outside Columbi2024-05-21I caught a Ryanair flight and saw so many people making the same £46 mistake
A Ryanair passenger has issued a warning about the airline's strict baggage policies after witnessin2024-05-21- The 'real-life Martha' from Baby Reindeer bombarded Sir Keir Starmer with almost 300 emails, it has2024-05-21
A man investigated in the deaths of women in northwest Oregon has been indicted in 3 killings
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A man who has been under investigation in the deaths of four women whose bodie2024-05-21
atest comment