The WTA Tour Finals land in Saudi Arabia next week, where homosexuality is criminalised, following guidance from organisers advising players to express support for the event’s location.
The tournament in Riyadh is the latest to face scrutiny over Saudi sportswashing, with the WTA anticipating tough questions about the Kingdom’s human rights record.
Players were advised in an October meeting: “Consider saying, ‘I’m happy to play wherever the WTA Finals is hosted; it’s a prestigious event.’”
With a record $15 million prize fund, the largest in the tournament’s history, former world number one Garbiñe Muguruza is serving as tournament director and hopes the event will leave a lasting impact.
She said: “We want to have stability.
“The WTA Finals is the last diamond of the year, where the best of the best has to be there and perform.”
Muguruza’s remarks come after the 2023 Finals in Cancun descended into chaos, with rain pouring into a temporary outdoor stadium set up in a car park.
In contrast, Saudi Arabia promises luxury accommodation and high-quality facilities, hosting the event at a 5,000-seat stadium at King Saud University.
Yet questions persist amid accusations that Saudi Arabia is using sporting events to veneer its human rights record, especially given the WTA’s values of inclusivity.
Muguruza noted: “All the players have asked many questions.
“Will we be welcome? How are we going to be treated? Is everyone welcome, including people in the LGBTQ community?”
She reassured players that in her visits to the country she saw women in upper management roles and feels confident everything will be normal.
Previous WTA events in the Middle East, such as those in the UAE, have struggled to attract large crowds, contrasting with the atmosphere Muguruza experienced in Guadalajara in 2021, where she won the finals.
This disparity raises more questions about Saudi Arabia as a host, with Muguruza aware that crowd engagement could make or break the event.
Reflecting on Guadalajara, she added, “Having the stadium full almost every session and having the crowd involved, I think was the key.”
For Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Jasmine Paolini, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Zheng Qinwen, or Barbora Krejcikova, an undefeated run in Riyadh means a record breaking $5 million payout, surpassing any Grand Slam.
With high stakes and global scrutiny, the stage is set for a WTA Finals like no other.
HJC Journalism 