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
Amir Khan's £11.5m luxury wedding venue finally hosts its first marriage: Bride arrives on horse
Amir Khan's £11.5million luxury wedding venue has finally hosted its first marriage after a series o2024-05-21Chinese business group 'shocked, dissatisfied' over EU raids on Chinese company
The China Chamber of Commerce to the European Union (CCCEU) said on Tuesday that it is "extreme2024-05-21US opens investigation into Ford crashes involving Blue Cruise partially automated driving system
DETROIT (AP) — Two fatal crashes involving Ford’s Blue Cruise partially automated driving system hav2024-05-21Insider Q&A: Avelo Airlines CEO Andrew Levy describes the challenges of starting a new carrier
It’s not easy to break into the U.S. airline industry, which is dominated by four big carriers and a2024-05-21Uber and Lyft say they'll stay in Minnesota after Legislature passes driver pay compromise
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Uber and Lyft plan to keep operating in Minnesota after the state Legislature2024-05-21Music and martial arts witness China
French martial arts enthusiasts practice traditional Chinese Qigong breathing exercises at the Mount2024-05-21
atest comment