"A 100 people in the crowd is startling" - Andy Roddick speaks out on dismal fan attendance at the 2024 WTA Finals

Former World No.1 Andy Roddick voiced his opinion on the attendance issues emanating from the 2024 WTA Finals in Riyadh, where television viewers have noticed a significant lack of fans at the event.

The WTA announced at the start of the year that it had signed a new deal with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund to host the year-ending WTA Finals in Riyadh from 2024 to 2026. The news was met with controversy, and now it has been revealed that the event has failed to draw crowds.

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On Sunday, November 3, French Open champion Iga Swiatek faced off against Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova in a singles match. Top-ranked Americans Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula squared off in the second match. However, only 400 people showed up at the King Saud University Indoor Arena for the day's event.

On an episode of his "Served with Andy Roddick" podcast, the retired American star stated the WTA should lean into new markets in order to promote the elite event and ensure fair play for it's players. Furthermore, the 42-year old said the financial success of these events was no long depended on crowd turnout.

"Should Aryna Sabalenka be making less because another market isn't stepping up to the plate financially," asked Roddick. "And do not base the success of an event based on who's there. A 100 people in the crowd is startling. Right. But if it was sold 80 percent through, then great.
"People in the seats is great for atmosphere. It's great for the players because you want to feel that buzz, you want to feel that it's an important event."