WTA, Saudi Arabia’s PIF Match-Up With Multi-Year, Multi-Level Alliance
Monday, May 20, 2024 at 04:08PM By Barry Janoff
May 20, 2024: Call it game, set and match.
The Hologic WTA Tour today unveiled a multi-year, multi-level partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund intended to “support their shared ambition to grow women’s professional tennis and inspire more women and girls around the world to take up the game.”
As a Global Partner of the WTA, PIF becomes the first naming partner for the WTA Rankings, the highest official rankings for women’s professional tennis players.
Financial terms of the alliance were not disclosed.
The pact continues the move of PIF — which oversees LIV Golf — into men’s and women’s tennis as PIF has now become the only global partner across both the WTA Tour and ATP Tour.
In April, WTA signed a deal moving the season-ending WTA Finals to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, for the next three years, starting in 2024, featuring the top eight singles players and doubles teams in the Race to the WTA Finals.
The agreement with the Saudi Tennis Federation will offer record prize money of $15.25 million at the WTA Finals in 2024 “with further increases in 2025 and 2026.”
It also follows a five-year alliance unveiled in February between the ATP Tour and PIF to became the official naming partner for the PIF ATP Rankings.
PIF partners with combined WTA 1000 and ATP Masters 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells, Miami and Madrid, in addition to Beijing WTA 1000 and ATP 500 events.
“We are delighted to welcome PIF as a Global Partner of the WTA and our first-ever official naming partner of the WTA Rankings,” Marina Storti, CEO of WTA Ventures, said via the organization.
“Together, we look forward to sharing the journey of our talented players across the season, as we continue to grow the sport, creating more fans of tennis and inspiring more young people to take up the game.”
The WTA-PIF partnership seeks to impact players at all levels.
PIF said it would work with the WTA to “expand existing initiatives and develop new opportunities for young players, providing a significant boost to the game’s next generation of stars”.
WTA said PIF’s program of sponsorships “uncovers new potential, investing in people, initiatives and partnerships that drive positive impact on the global stage.”
“Through our partnership with WTA, PIF will continue to be a catalyst for the growth of women’s sport,” Mohamed AlSayyad, PIF head of corporate brand, said via the group. “We look forward to working with the WTA to increase participation and inspire the next generation of talent.
“Underpinned by PIF’s four strategic sponsorship pillars, this partnership aligns with our ambition to elevate the game and bring positive growth to the sport around the world.”
The ATP Tour last August said its Next Gen Finals would be held in Jeddah from 2023-27.
Also in February, plans were unveiled for Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune to play at the “Six Kings Slam”, an exhibition event in Riyadh, scheduled for October.
In January, Nadal was named an ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation with plans for a training academy.
“Bringing the WTA Finals to Riyadh is an exciting new opportunity for us and a positive step for the long-term growth of women’s tennis as a global and inclusive sport,” Steve Simon, WTA chairman and CEO, said via the organization when the deal was revealed in April.
“We’ve been impressed by the commitment shown by the Saudi Tennis Federation to grow the sport at all levels, and we have no doubt that players and fans can look forward to a world-class event in Riyadh as the finale to the 2024, 2025 and 2026 seasons.”
WTA Taps Riyadh, Saudi Arabia To Host Finals 2024-26, Record $15M Prize Money
ATP Tour, PIF Unveil Five-Year Alliance To Grow Tennis ‘At All Levels’
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