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
Student fatally shot, suspect detained at Georgia's Kennesaw State University
ATLANTA (AP) — Officials at Georgia’s Kennesaw State University say a student was killed in a weeken2024-05-21Bohm and Harper lead the streaking Phillies to a sweep of the Nationals with 11
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Alec Bohm homered and drove in five runs, Bryce Harper doubled and had two RBIs2024-05-21Tottenham clinches Europa League spot with season
SHEFFIELD, England (AP) — Tottenham clinched a spot in next season’s Europa League with a season-end2024-05-21Companies are trying to attract more smartphone users across Africa. But there are risks
ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Anita Akpeere prepared fried rice in her kitchen in Ghana’s capital as a flurry2024-05-21Ben Whishaw lights up the Croisette as he joins his co
Ben Whishaw was all smiles at the world premiere of Limonov: The Ballad at the 77th annual Cannes Fi2024-05-21Late crash knocks Nolan Siegel out of Indianapolis 500, keeps Ericsson and Rahal in starting field
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Graham Rahal sat in his car on pit row, sweating out yet another Bump Day at Ind2024-05-21
atest comment