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
Storms damage homes in Oklahoma and Kansas. But in Houston, most power is restored
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Fast-moving storms with strong winds, large hail and apparent tornadoes swept O2024-05-21Why don't humans have tails? A genetic mutation offers clues
WASHINGTON (AP) — Our very ancient animal ancestors had tails. Why don’t we? Somewhere around 20 mil2024-05-21Rare sea creature washes ashore in Southern California
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) — A 7-foot (215-centimeter) sea creature that washed ashore in Southern C2024-05-21Here's a look at moon landing hits and misses
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Landing a spacecraft on the moon has long been a series of hits and miss2024-05-21Trump accepts a VP debate but wants it on Fox News. Harris has already said yes to CBS
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump said Friday his campaign has accepted an invitation from Fox News for h2024-05-21April's total solar eclipse promises to be the best yet for experiments
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — April’s total solar eclipse promises to be a scientific bonanza, thanks2024-05-21
atest comment