Saudi Arabia pays out gigantic bonus for women
The best female tennis players in the world can look forward to a massive rain of money in the fall. The host Saudi Arabia significantly increases the prize money level for the WTA annual finale. The Saudi Arabian federation head acts as a representative for more justice for women.
Saudi Arabia uses its controversial engagement in women's tennis, as expected, shortly after the start of the partnership with the WTA tour, for image politics. The kingdom announced the increase of the prize money for the first WTA annual finale in the fall in its capital Riyadh by more than six million Euros to 15.25 million dollars, bringing it to the prize money level of the ATP men's elite from the previous year.
The apparent prize money booster, however, seems rather unconvincing. Saudi Arabia's handling of human rights in general and women's rights in particular is problematic in principle.
Saudi Arabian Tennis Federation President Aree Mutabagani, however, painted a different picture of the hosts during the official announcement of the date for the tournament of the eight best players of the year. "Equalizing the prize money for women and men is important. It must be the same because it is fundamentally the same tournaments in the same sport, so there is no reason why men and women should not receive the same prize money," Mutabagani told the French news agency AFP.
Since the beginning of the year, Saudi Arabia has significantly expanded its influence in the entire tennis world through its Public Investment Fund (PIF). Agreements with the WTA in the spring, first as a sponsor of the tour and world rankings, and later also for the organization of the annual finals until 2026, were preceded by a similarly extensive deal with the men's organization ATP. At the start of the season, the oil multinational also signed Rafael Nadal, the tennis icon, as a promotional ambassador for the Saudi Arabian Tennis Federation.
Tennis legends Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert criticized the WTA due to the lack of gender equality in the golf state. Critics of Saudi Arabia's extensive sports investment, which also includes the prospective hosting of the football World Cup in 2034, refer to it as sports washing.
- Despite the Saudi Arabian Tennis Federation's commitment to gender equality in prize money, criticisms persist due to Saudi Arabia's handling of human rights and women's rights.
- Despite the increase in prize money for the WTA annual finale in Saudi Arabia, tennis legends and human rights advocates question the kingdom's intentions, referring to it as a form of sports washing.
