The president of the Saudi Tennis Federation (STF) says she respects the criticisms of
Martina Navratilova and
Chris Evert towards potential events being held in the country. But she hopes to invite them to the country to prove them wrong.
Arij Mutabagani has called the tennis duo 'idols' growing up and says that the change they heralded with their own accolades can herald change in the region. The Middle Eastern nation has been mooted for a long time to stage the
WTA Finals despite their human rights record and the rights of women and LGBTQI+ people.
Andy Roddick previously made the point that it could spell danger for Daria Kasatkina in particular if she qualified being a gay woman who is in the elite of the sport who also has spoken out against her own nation so can't go home to Russia either. But after it being called a backward step for women's tennis, Mutabagani hopes to prove them wrong.
This also strikes a different tone to Princess Reema Bint Bindar Al Saud, the Saudi ambassador to the US who called their viewpoints 'outdated stereotypes'.
“I actually grew up playing tennis and having Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova as my idols. I was really looking up to them,” Mutabagani told Arab News’ Frankly Speaking podcast.
“They’ve done so much for tennis and for female participation and gender equality and getting equal prize money. And I respect their thoughts. I respect that everyone is free to say and comment. “But I would really like to invite them to come to Saudi Arabia and really see the progress that we are doing. We are in a phase of change. We are trying to change.”
"I would like to invite them (Evert and Navratilova) to come to Saudi Arabia and be part of this journey in changing and transforming tennis, and especially female participation. I think we will learn a lot from them and they would just have to come and see for themselves.” She added.
