Tennis legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova recently took a stand against the speculation surrounding the 2024 WTA Finals being held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In a joint opinion piece for the Washington Post, Evert and Navratilova expressed their strong opposition, arguing that such a decision would be “entirely incompatible with the spirit and purpose of women’s tennis and the WTA itself.”
The prominent pair, both former world No. 1s and 18-time major singles champions who were fierce rivals on the court, highlighted Saudi Arabia’s disturbing record of human rights violations, particularly concerning the treatment of women and the LGBTQ community. They pointed out the country’s male guardianship law, which essentially treats women as property, and the criminalization of the LGBTQ community that could potentially result in death sentences. Evert and Navratilova emphasized that staging the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia would not be a step forward but a significant regression.
Evert and Navratilova called on the WTA to engage in an “open, honest discussion” before committing to Riyadh as the location for the tournament. They urged the organization to invite presentations from human rights experts to educate players about the situation in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the tennis legends advocated for the implementation of a human rights framework to protect the players and others involved if the event were to take place in the country.
Last year, rumors of a partnership between the WTA and Saudi Arabia sparked controversy, with the capital city being considered as the host for the 2023 WTA Finals. However, due to significant backlash, including criticism from Evert and others, the event was ultimately held in Cancun, Mexico. Reports have now emerged suggesting that the 2024 tournament, featuring the top eight singles players and top eight doubles pairs, will indeed be held in Riyadh later this year.
Caroline Wozniacki, another former world No. 1, expressed her belief that hosting the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia could potentially bring about change in the country. While acknowledging the human rights concerns, she emphasized the financial potential Saudi Arabia possesses and the opportunity it presents to make a positive impact. Evert and Navratilova, on the other hand, emphasized that they would only consider playing in Saudi Arabia after substantial change has occurred.
In their opinion piece, Evert and Navratilova called on the WTA to reevaluate the very values upon which it was established. They argued that these values cannot be expressed, let alone achieved, in Saudi Arabia. Taking a tournament to such a location, they stressed, would represent a significant setback for women’s sports and women in general. They expressed hope that someday, within the next five years, things might change, and if that happens, they would support engagement with Saudi Arabia.
Tennis’ governing bodies and several top players have already begun forging relationships with Saudi Arabia. The ATP held its 2023 Next Gen Finals event in Jeddah, and it was recently announced that the city will continue to host the year-end event until 2027. In December, Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka, Ons Jabeur, and Carlos Alcaraz participated in an exhibition event in Riyadh. Furthermore, Rafael Nadal was recently named the ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation. These developments indicate the growing involvement of the tennis world in the Middle Eastern nation.
The proposition of hosting the 2024 WTA Finals in Riyadh has met strong opposition from tennis legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. Their concerns about human rights violations, the treatment of women, and the criminalization of the LGBTQ community in Saudi Arabia demonstrate the incompatibility of such a decision with the principles of women’s tennis and the WTA itself. While some argue that hosting the tournament could lead to positive change, Evert and Navratilova maintain that change must happen first before they can consider supporting it. As the tennis world develops relationships with Saudi Arabia, the debate surrounding this issue will continue to unfold.
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