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$12,000,000 Bombshell Temptation Hits Women’s Tennis as Saudi Arabia Flexes Its Money Muscle Once More

Published 09/01/2023, 5:06 PM EDT

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The Saudis’ attempts to seek an investment in tennis have long been apparent to the tennis community. However. the community has mixed sense of emotions about this news. While many are suggesting that it will degrade the beauty of the sport, many view this as a fair chance to pursue the sport. However, there have been recent developments surrounding the sport.

It is now believed that Saudis have now come up with a mouth-watering offer to host the WTA finals in Riyadh this year. With the decisive meeting supposed to be held next week, it will now be interesting to see WTA’s stance on the case.

Saudi announced triple the prize money for the WTA finals

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The landscape of women’s tennis is on the brink of a significant transformation as Saudi Arabia extends a lucrative offer to host the prestigious WTA Finals. The kingdom has proposed an astounding tripling of the prize money, taking it to an impressive $12 million, alongside a substantial $8 million staging fee. Riyadh has emerged as a contender to host the event in November, and the WTA Board faces a critical decision in the coming week during meetings at the US Open in New York. However, this bid has not been without controversy.

While it promises substantial financial gains for the players, it has ignited a spirited debate within the world of sports. Prominent figures in the sports industry have voiced concerns and reservations about the move, raising questions about the broader implications and potential challenges of hosting such a high-profile event in Saudi Arabia.

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With Washington, Prague, and Monterrey also in the running, the decision regarding the venue for this year’s WTA Finals will be closely watched. As the tennis world anticipates the WTA’s stance on this pivotal matter, the debate surrounding Saudi Arabia’s bid adds an intriguing layer of complexity to the proceedings.

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Prominent tennis names reflect their concern with Saudi’s interest in hosting the finals

While it still remains a question whether the finals will be held in Riyadh or not, prominent tennis names have given their stance on the ongoing debate. Martina Navratilova, a legendary name in the world of tennis, said that had she been a player currently, she would have declined the opportunity to go and play in Saudi Arabia. Rennae Stubbs, Serena Williams’ former coach, also asserted the fact that the finals should be held in a country where there is respect and equality for women and not in Riyadh.

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John McEnroe has also sparked his opinion on the matter citing that Saudi’s involvement in the game could degrade the beauty of the sport. Thus, with many opposing, it will now be up to WTA to decide the venue for the finals. With Saudi looking to splash in huge money, the authorities will be in a state of mixed emotions at the moment.

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Written by:

Akshat Gaur

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Akshat Gaur is a Tennis Writer at EssentiallySports. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in 2021 and has been writing since then. With over two years of experience in the world of sports journalism, specifically tennis journalism, Akshat is someone who is immensely passionate about covering the ATP and the WTA Tour.
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Edited by:

Mitali Dey