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.
Local Villagers in SW China's Guizhou Busy Picking Tea Leaves
China to Further Improve Services for Village Residents
Visitors View Exhibits at 2nd CICPE
Medics remove 150 MAGGOTS from a woman's mouth after dental procedure left her with rotting tissue
China Takes Solid Steps to Foster Stronger Sense of Community for Chinese Nation
China Made Solid Progress on Elderly Care over Past Decade: NHC
Freshmen Come to Register at Peking University
Fruit Planting Helps Improve Environment and Villagers' Income in SW China's Chongqing
With Djokovic awaiting the winner, Murray trails Hanfmann at rain
China's Subsistence Allowance Covers 14 Million Elderly Citizens: Ministry