Saudi won’t stop. They will get a slice of tennis one way or another. That’s just a fact. The job of the ATP and WTA is to manage it in a way that avoids a LIV-like situation
Saudi won’t stop. They will get a slice of tennis one way or another. That’s just a fact. The job of the ATP and WTA is to manage it in a way that avoids a LIV-like situation
Hope the WTA doesn't keep trying to find short-term bandaid solutions by taking the highest bidder and actually show some leadership and long-term vision (not to mention integrity) so they can negotiate from a place of power moving forward.
The fact that the WTA is considering Saudi Arabia as a host, a country where the LGBTQ+ community has NO rights at all while Daria Kasatkina, an openly gay woman, qualified at last year’s WTA Finals makes me sick. And she’s #12 at the race now so what if she qualifies again?
As reported by the Daily Mail, Saudi Arabia plans to triple the prize money for the WTA Finals to $15M and pay a $10M staging fee to host the event in Riyadh this year. 🇸🇦🚨 Prague, Monterrey, and D.C. are in contention as well. Meetings will be held in NY next week to decide…
I know money is important in sports but what kind of messages does that send to the openly gay women playing tennis ? And to the closeted ones ? I’m disgusted.
If WTA believes women rights which they are " Women " Tennis Association... they shouldnt even think about that. Women have no rights in Saudi Arabia ... If they say yes, ı think most of the players wont go there... Iga first...
That is enormous money for the WTA, its infrastructure, offices, staffing - the whole thing could be properly funded instead of having like 2 people run the whole website etc. Yes, there are wrongs with the whole Saudi thing, but it wouldn't half set up the WTA going forward
Considering the appalling money the ladies are paid, outside the slams, I’d say grab it with two hands, even if you have to hold your nose…
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And the Saudis would still think it is a beneficial deal for them. That’s how bad they need the most relevant, world-wide organization in professional women’s sports. If @wta is going to cave, I’d ask for $100 million and some other things! The Saudis have that and more…