Spotlight shone on Saudi Arabia failures in sport so far as WTA Finals moved to Riyadh
WTASunday, 07 April 2024 at 02:30
Saudi Arabia has finally managed to get the hosting rights
for the WTA Finals for the next three seasons. The first edition of the
mega-event will take place in November this year.
The have been constant reports about Middle Eastern country's investing in tennis in the recent past. It was because of this reason the
country managed to host the ATP Next Gen Finals in 2023 as well.
As per the latest report, the oil-rich country gets the
hosting rights for two years for the last mega-event in the WTA calendar.
Tennis is not the first sport that Saudi Arabia has invested
in the recent past. Previously, they have invested heavily in Golf which led to
the merger of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
After that, the country invested heavily in football and
started a new competition with the name of Saudi Pro League. The league
authorities managed to sign a host of superstars from European teams such as
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronald, ex-Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, Brazil’s
star striker Neymar and others.
Other than that, Saudi Arabia hosted the Formula One Grand
Prix for the first time in 2021 and they are set to host till 20230.
In the 2023 edition
of the WTA Finals, it was the current world number one Iga Swiatek lifted the
title after beating America’s Jessica Pegula with a score of 6-1, 6-0.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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