Tennis Legends Oppose WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia

Evert and Navratilova cite human rights concerns, while others see potential for change through engagement.

Tennis legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova have publicly opposed the potential decision to hold the 2024 WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia, citing the country's record of human rights violations, particularly against women and the LGBTQ+ community.
The WTA has been in talks to place its season-ending WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia, following the men's tour's Next Gen ATP Finals being hosted in Jedda, a deal that runs through 2027.
Rafael Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, has recently announced that he would serve as an ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation, which includes plans for a Rafael Nadal Academy in the country.
Despite the opposition, some players and figures in the tennis world, such as former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki and Billie Jean King, support the idea of engaging with Saudi Arabia in hopes of encouraging change.
Saudi Arabia has enacted wide-ranging social reforms in recent years, including granting women the right to drive and largely dismantling male guardianship laws, but critics argue that significant issues remain, including the criminalization of the LGBTQ+ community and the continued unequal status of women.