WTA’s Expected Saudi Arabia Announcement Sparks Backlash From Tennis Legends

SI has obtained a letter sent by former champions Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert urging the WTA not to hold this year’s championships in Riyadh.

The Australian Open commenced second-round play Wednesday in Melbourne. But, some of the fiercest—and, ultimately, more important—battles have been playing out in boardrooms and group texts. A continuation of a theme of 2023, this sport is still divided on if, whether and how to accept the interest—and, of course, the tantalizing infusion of cash—offered by Saudi Arabia.

When he’s not running the tournament, Craig Tiley, chief executive officer of Tennis Australia, has been making the rounds, expressing his adamance that tennis must avoid a LIV golf-style disruption such as a rival league. Though he withdrew from the tournament last week, Rafael Nadal made news Tuesday and surprised several powerbrokers when he announced a tennis ambassador partnership with the Saudi Tennis Federation.

Then, there is the WTA, which is still reckoning with whether to do business with an authoritarian country with bottomless reserves of cash but also a regrettable record on human rights. SI reported that the WTA was prepared late last summer to announce that the 2023 WTA Championships would be held in Riyadh. The tour hastily changed plans and moved the event to Cancun amid criticism, most notably from former champions Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, the former rivals who still often set the political agenda for women’s tennis.

Navratilova, left, and Evert are trying to convince the WTA to avoid connections with the Saudi regime :: Susan Mullane/USA TODAY Sports

Though player agents have been told that the WTA finals will be in Riyadh—and the Tour is simply biding its time to make an announcement in a way that will trigger minimum backlash—the two legends are not done with their opposition. A letter they sent last month to then-WTA CEO Steve Simon, and obtained by SI, laid out the case for the WTA to seek a more hospitable host country. The letter reads:

Dear Steve and all members of WTA Board, WTA Ventures Board and Tournament and Player Councils:

In light of the WTA Finals potentially being moved to Saudi Arabia, we feel it is essential to speak up now and highlight why we are so concerned. The WTA finals is the crown jewel of our tour and we can’t sit back and allow something as significant as this to happen without an open, honest and transparent discussion.

We fully appreciate the importance of respecting diverse cultures and religions. It is because of this, and not in spite of it, that we believe allowing Saudi Arabia to host the WTA finals is entirely incompatible with the spirit and purpose of women’s tennis, and the WTA itself.

The WTA was founded on fairness and equality to empower women in a male dominated world. In short, the WTA should represent values which sit in stark contrast to those of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Not only is this a country where women are not seen as equal, it is a country which criminalises the LGBTQ community. A country whose long term record on human rights and basic freedoms has been a matter of international concern for decades.

Taking the WTA finals to Saudi Arabia would represent taking a significant step backwards, to the detriment of the WTA, women’s sports and women. We ask the WTA to give thought to all these considerations.

Respectfully
Martina Navratilova / Chrissie Evert