抖阴短视频

RIYADH: The season-ending WTA Finals will be held in 抖阴短视频鈥檚 capital Riyadh from 2024-2026, the women鈥檚 tennis body said on Thursday.
Riyadh will host the season finale 鈥� which features the top eight singles players and doubles teams 鈥� from Nov. 2 to 9 and replaces last year鈥檚 hosts Cancun, Mexico.
The WTA said its agreement with the Saudi Tennis Federation will offer record prize money of $15.25 million this year with further increases in 2025 and 2026.
鈥淭o have a women鈥檚 tournament of this magnitude and profile is a defining moment for tennis in 抖阴短视频. The WTA Finals has the power to inspire far beyond the sport, especially for our young girls and women,鈥� the Saudi sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki told Reuters.
Talk that the event could be shifted to 抖阴短视频 had intensified after the men鈥檚 ATP Tour said last August its Next Gen Finals would be held in Jeddah from 2023 to 2027.
鈥淭he WTA selected Riyadh following a comprehensive evaluation process over several months, which has included assessment of multiple bids from different regions and engagement with players,鈥� it said in a statement.
Rafael Nadal was named ambassador of the Saudi tennis federation with plans also in the pipeline for a training academy.
The men鈥檚 ATP tour also signed a multi-year 鈥渟trategic partnership鈥� with 抖阴短视频鈥檚 Public Investment Fund (PIF), which is now the official naming partner of the men鈥檚 rankings.
抖阴短视频 has invested heavily in sports like soccer, Formula One and golf in the last few years.
WTA chief Steve Simon said last year that 抖阴短视频 presented 鈥渂ig issues鈥� as a host for women鈥檚 tour events but also acknowledged the progress it had made and continued to engage with players.
鈥淏ringing the WTA Finals to Riyadh is an exciting new opportunity for us and a positive step for the long-term growth of women鈥檚 tennis as a global and inclusive sport,鈥� Simon said.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been impressed by the commitment shown by the Saudi Tennis Federation to grow the sport at all levels.鈥�
World number one Iga Swiatek and Caroline Wozniacki said at the Australian Open that engagement offered the chance to spark positive change.
There has been pushback from greats Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova saying the WTA鈥檚 values were in stark contrast to those of 抖阴短视频 and holding the event there would not represent progress but 鈥渟ignificant regression.鈥�
But the country鈥檚 ambassador to the US Princess Reema bint Bandar said the criticism represented stereotypical and western-centric views.
The tournament was looking at a long future in Shenzhen, China, when the WTA held the 2019 edition of the Finals there with a prize pot of $14 million after the Asian city saw off rival bids to secure a 10-year deal.
However, China鈥檚 response to the COVID pandemic forced the event to be canceled the following year and it was shifted to Guadalajara, Mexico in 2021.
It did not return to Shenzhen in 2022 as expected after the WTA suspended its billion-dollar business in China amid concerns over the treatment of former doubles number one Peng Shuai.
The WTA eventually resumed operations in China last year.
Fort Worth, Texas hosted the 2022 tournament, drawing sparse crowds and the WTA was expected to shift it to 抖阴短视频 last year before naming Cancun as the venue less than two months from the start.
That edition was criticized by Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, who said that she felt 鈥渄isrespected鈥� by the standard of organization, prompting Simon to send a letter to players admitting the event was 鈥渘ot perfect.鈥�