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
Kristin Cavallari, 37, ignores critics of her age
Kristin Cavallari is enjoying a romantic rendezvous with her much younger cowboy lover Mark Estes in2024-05-21Australian freshwater crayfish bring fresh vitality to rural Xinjiang
(Xinhua) 15:12, March 13, 2024URUMQI, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Wang Yunfeng, who is in charge of a farme2024-05-21China further streamlines mobile payments for foreigners
(Xinhua) 09:05, March 02, 2024Maria (R), a Brazilian student, scans a QR code on a vending machine a2024-05-21Rashee Rice 'was driving his Lamborghini at 119mph' in the seconds before causing a multi
Kansas City Chiefs star Rashee Rice was driving at 119mph in the seconds before he caused a multi-ve2024-05-21'Constantly learning' Imanaga off to impressive start with the Chicago Cubs
CHICAGO (AP) — The road for Shota Imanaga from Japan to the major leagues included at least one shar2024-05-21Stefan Frei makes 300th regular season appearance for Sounders in 0
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Stefan Frei made his 300th regular season appearance for Seattle and recorded h2024-05-21
atest comment