Coco Gauff reflects on ‘sportwashing’ ahead of WTA Finals debut in Riyadh: "We spoke with many women here"

Coco Gauff reflects on ‘sportwashing’ as she prepares for her appearance at the WTA Finals in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia’s heavy investment in tennis is no longer a novelty, as they now host both the WTA Finals and the Next Gen Finals, with speculation about a potential Masters 1000 in the future.

The Arab country recently offered the largest prize money in tennis history, awarding $6 million to Six Kings Slam champion Jannik Sinner—significantly more than the $3.6 million he earned at the US Open or the $3.1 million at the Australian Open. Notably, this time he only needed three best-of-three matches to win.

Gauff raises ethical concerns

Money is not the only concern with these events, however. Saudi Arabia has also expanded its influence in other sports, including boxing, golf, and football, in what many see as the country’s attempt at ‘sportwashing’ amid international criticism on issues such as human rights, women’s rights, and LGBTQ+ rights.

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The debate around human rights in Saudi Arabia resurfaces just before the WTA’s most significant tournament of the season. World No. 3 Coco Gauff recently acknowledged that she had reservations about participating in Riyadh: “I would be lying to you if I said I had no reservations. Obviously, you know who I am and the things I speak about.”

“I was pretty much on every player call I could make with the WTA. One of the things I said was if we come here, we can't just come here, play our tournament, and leave. Like, we have to have a real program or real plan in place,” the 2023 US Open champion added.

Coco Gauff at the 2024 Olympic Games.

“We spoke with many women here in Saudi. One of them was Princess Reema. We had multiple calls with her about the best approach to entering this different place that women, particularly from the US, have never really entered.”

“I think for me, it was important, and it was one of the questions I raised, regarding LGBTQ issues, women’s rights, and how we can help with that,” Gauff added. "I'm also very aware that we're not going to come here and just change everything… But it's a nuanced kind of conversation.”

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“I think knowing from the past—from my grandmother, integrating her school—people aren't going to like it, but obviously, in the long run, I think it could be better for everybody,” she concluded.

Gauff will debut on Sunday against world No. 2 Iga Swiatek—a challenging match for the American, who has struggled against the Pole, losing 11 of their 12 encounters so far. They will also share a group with Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova and US Open runner-up Jessica Pegula.