The Saudi Tennis Federation (STF) has announced its ambition to inspire one million into tennis by 2030, as the countdown to the WTA Finals in Riyadh gets underway.
The announcement was made at the official launch ceremony of the WTA Finals Riyadh on Wednesday. Along with the Ministry of Sport in Saudi Arabia and WTA, organisers also unveiled the new logo for the event, which features the world’s top female players in the prestigious end of year championship.
Arij Mutabagani, President of the Saudi Tennis Federation said: “The opportunity that this prestigious event will provide in Saudi Arabia is incredible and we are honoured to be partnering with the WTA to bring this elite tournament to Riyadh at the start of an exciting journey.
“It’s important the world sees that our tennis ambitions go far beyond hosting. We want to get on court and play. We want to inspire our people to fall in love with the game, to compete, to create new growth and connect to the sport globally. That’s why our pledge is important as we want to get rackets in hands in our communities and schools so that many first steps are taken as a result of the tournament.
“For us, seeing is believing and with our aim to inspire 1 million into tennis by 2030, this event promises to deliver both impact and legacy. And I am confident that this partnership with the WTA will be a game changing experience for the sport in our country.”
During the ceremony, the Ministry and Saudi Tennis Federation welcomed the new WTA Finals Tournament Director, Garbiñe Muguruza and WTA Finals Community Ambassador, Judy Murray back to the Kingdom.
Within the WTA’s landmark visit, Murray and Muguruza participated in the first of a series of nation-wide tennis clinics, working with over 30 young tennis talents from Riyadh to perfect their technique.
As one of the nation’s most popular sports among its young population, with more than 20 million aged under 30 years old, the opportunity to witness the world’s very best brings new excitement to the game in a way that has never been seen before in the country.
Beyond the expansion of the grassroots program, ‘Tennis for All’, which will see as many as 60,000 boys and girls introduced to the game in schools across the country, a number of new community initiatives will be announced in the coming months to further accelerate momentum towards inspiring 1 million.
Set to take place between 2-9 November, the 2024 season-ending WTA Finals will see the top 8 singles players and doubles teams compete for a record prize pool to conclude the year at the King Saud University in the capital.
Steve Simon, WTA Chairman and CEO added:“Bringing the WTA Finals as the first professional women’s tennis tournament in Saudi Arabia is an exciting moment for the WTA and our sport.
This event allows the women’s game to compliment the commitment of the growth of tennis in the Kingdom through inspiring new players and fans in the region, as they experience top level women’s tennis for the first time.
Alongside our Saudi Tennis Federation partners, we are counting down the days to when the world’s best players descend on Riyadh for what we believe will be a thrilling season-ending finale.”
The agreement between the WTA and the Saudi Tennis Federation will see the event take place in the Kingdom’s capital for the next three years, as organisers begin the countdown towards the 2024 event.
The partnership between STF and WTA will see investment across the game in Saudi Arabia and beyond, featuring as part of the nation’s Vision 2030 strategy to inspire the youthful population of Saudi Arabia through sport.
Following the success of recent major international tennis events in the Kingdom, including the country’s first official professional event in the Next Gen ATP Finals, the WTA Finals represents a new chapter in Saudi Arabian tennis.
For information on how to attend this year’s WTA Finals in Riyadh, please visit: https://webook.com/en/events/wta-finals-tickets.
