NEW YORK (AP) — Saudi Arabia’s move into tennis will now include a multiyear deal to sponsor the WTA women’s rankings. The WTA released word of its partnership agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) on Monday, a move that follows last month’s news that the kingdom will host the tour’s season-ending championships in Riyadh starting this year and February’s announcement that it will sponsor the ATP men’s rankings. Both tours’ rankings deals are for five years. The PIF is the first naming-rights partner for the WTA rankings and the new arrangement also includes plans to promote tennis at lower levels of the sport. Tennis has been consumed lately by the debate over whether the sport should follow golf and others in making deals with Saudi Arabia, where rights groups say women continue to face discrimination in most aspects of family life and homosexuality is a major taboo, as it is in much of the rest of the Middle East. |
Taylor Swift fans believe they have decoded the singer's 'bronze sprayJohn Terry reveals Rio Ferdinand has blanked him on the beach in Dubai in a bitter 13Amendments to Missouri Constitution are on the line amid GOP infightingU.S. labor secretary says UAW win at Tennessee Volkswagen plant shows southern workers back unionsAsylum seeker who killed British retiree says he was seeking revenge for the people of GazaTennessee lawmakers approve bill criminalizing adults who help minors receive genderEarly voting begins for North Carolina primary runoff racesMartine McCutcheon admits she's 'feeling c***py' as she shares her health diagnosis with fansABBA film chronicling the Swedish band's rise to global stardom includes neverRecreational marijuana backers can gather signatures for North Dakota ballot initiative