WTA Saudi Arabia Row: Anonymous Official Drops Bombshell Amid Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova’s Vehement Objection

There is no denying that Saudi Arabia has made significant investments in many popular sports over the years. The sport of tennis has also been a part of their plans for a while now, as the ATP Next Gen Finals was held in Jeddah. After the men’s circuit, the Middle Eastern nation has now moved its attention to the WTA Finals, marking the latest step in the country’s huge investment in elite racket sport. Now that a deal to move the season-ending championship to Saudi Arabia is imminent, a WTA official has finally announced a major update about “the ongoing process.”

The 2023 WTA Finals saw the current world No. 1 Iga Świątek lift the trophy in Mexico after outclassing her American opponent Jessica Pegula. But now that serious talks are going on to stage the season-ending tournament in Saudi Arabia, an anonymous WTA spokesperson has come forward to issue his honest take on the imminent deal.

“We are working through a process to select a host venue”- The WTA official gets real as the Saudi Arabia deal inches closer

There has been a lot of controversy and criticism surrounding the imminent deal that will move the WTA Finals to the Middle Eastern nation. Many in the tennis community have lashed out at the authorities for their ongoing talks as they vented their concerns about women’s equal rights in Saudi Arabia. Amidst all this criticism, a WTA official recently came forward to reveal that they are “working through a process to select a host venue for the WTA Finals.”

As reported by The Athletic, the WTA spokesperson, who asked to remain anonymous, said, “As everyone knows, we are working through a process to select a host venue for the WTA Finals.” Although no final decision has been made, the top tennis official revealed that the women’s tour will continue to “engage” with players during the current process. He said, “There has been no final decision and we will continue to engage with players through the ongoing process.”

In his statement, the WTA spokesperson called the potential deal with Saudi Arabia “the worst kept secret in the sport.” While they are fully confident in the country’s ability to host a top-level tournament, the authorities are also concerned about all the controversy and criticism surrounding the deal.

The WTA legends are against the controversial Saudi Arabia deal

Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova have rarely held themselves back from criticizing the decision to move the WTA Finals to a country that doesn’t grant women equal rights. Aside from this, the WTA legends also spoke candidly about how Saudi Arabia does not support the LGBTQ community. In an interview, the Hall of Famers stated, “Not only is this a country where women are not seen as equal, it is a country which criminalises the LGBTQ community. A country whose long term record on human rights and basic freedoms has been a matter of international concern for decades.”

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As they are strongly opposed to the Saudi deal,  the former tennis players also said that taking the WTA tournament to the country would be “a significant step backward.” They further urged the tennis officials to deliberate on all of these factors before making their final decision.

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