Coco Gauff doesn't support WTA Saudi Arabia potential but shares hope: "We have the opportunity to make change"

Wednesday, 24 January 2024 at 07:00

American tennis phenom Coco Gauff voiced her opinion on the WTA going to Saudi Arabia in the near future, stating she hoped they'd be able to make a difference in the controversial nation.

The WTA has been rumored to host some events in Saudi Arabia within the next few years. Although this could benefit the tour financially, several fans and even players are against the notion due to the country's stance on women's rights.

Gauff would like more communication between the tour and players on the matter

During the ongoing Australian Open, Gauff was asked on her view regarding the potential WTA-Saudi merger.

"I think the WTA, I've noticed probably Cancun, they're trying to take more steps of communicating with the players about certain decisions," said the reigning US Open champion. "And part of the reason why they didn't go to Saudi last year for the Finals was they didn't have time to -- they wanted to make sure the messaging was correct. I feel like if we go there, I feel like we have the opportunity to make change. Hopefully, you know, the situation there isn't great. Definitely don't support the situation there, but I hope that if we do decide to go there, I hope that we're able to make change there and improve the quality there and engage in the local communities and make a difference.
"Yeah, and there hasn't been a decision made about Saudi, and so I can't really speak much of that. But I will say that they are trying to at least communicate with the players more. I don't know if we have, like, you know, a final say or decision-making but at least we're getting in the conversations. I do appreciate the effort to change and include us more so we do know more what's going on. At the end of the day, the WTA was founded by players."

Arthur Ajayi

Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.

As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.

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