"The thing I'm concerned about is the women, I want change if we go": Billie Jean King believes Saudi Arabia WTA tournament is inevitable
WTASaturday, 21 October 2023 at 05:30
Former world number one Billie
Jean King believes having a WTA event in Saudi Arabia is looking inevitable.
There has been rumours about the
interest of the Middle Eastern country in investing in the sport for some time
which led to reports that the WTA Finals might take place in the country from
2024.
King was recently quoted in a
report where she stated that the tournament is likely to go to Saudi Arabia and
is hoping that will change how things are in that country.
“I think they'll be there. The
thing I'm concerned about is the women, I want change if we go. But I'm big on
engagement & inclusion so it's a tough one. I know people are going to go
there. The WTA played in Qatar in '08, we took tennis there & we still have
a tournament there every year."
Saudi Arabia has been aggressively
investing in sports in the recent past, largely because of a planned state
policy of promoting the country’s soft image.
Read also
It was because of this reason the
country’s backed Public Investment Fund (PIF) first bought a majority share in
the English Premier League club Newcastle United. Later, Saudi invested heavily
in golf which led to the merger of Liv Golf and the PGA Tour.
In the recent past, the oil-rich
country has invested heavily in their local football league named Saudi Pro League
where a host of stars from European leagues including the likes of legendary Cristiano
Ronaldo, former Liverpool striker Mane, treble-winning Riyad Mahrez, Champions
League-winning midfielder Ngolo Kante and others joined the league.
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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