Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur has expressed her support for the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) in their consideration of hosting a tournament in Saudi Arabia. Jabeur, who was the runner-up at Wimbledon last year and is the most prominent Arab player in the sport, believes that if it benefits the players, she is fully supportive of the idea. She hopes that Saudi Arabia will not only invest in the men's ATP tour but also in the women's WTA.
WTA CEO Steve Simon recently announced that the organization is exploring the possibility of bringing tennis to Saudi Arabia, potentially including hosting the prestigious WTA Championships. This move by the WTA has attracted criticism from tennis legends John McEnroe and Chris Evert. However, Jabeur disagrees and highlights the progress being made in Saudi Arabia regarding women's rights. She believes that the country is making great strides and it is time for change.
Jabeur also acknowledges the Saudi Arabian interest in women's tennis and reveals that she and Egypt's Mayar Sherif are currently the top two female players in the Arab world. She sees this as an opportune moment to push for investment in the WTA and hopes that Saudi Arabia will seize the chance.
Saudi Arabia has been expanding its global presence, not only showing interest in women's tennis but also engaging in discussions with the men's ATP tour. ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi has described these discussions with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund as positive. However, Jabeur emphasizes that the situation in tennis would differ from golf, as she had a positive experience during her visit to Saudi Arabia last year and was impressed by the people there.
Jabeur, who reached the finals of both Wimbledon and the US Open last year, believes that Saudi involvement in tennis could be a great opportunity. She hopes that the deal would prioritize the players' interests rather than merely viewing them as investments. Jabeur is currently the sixth seed at Wimbledon and will face either Ysaline Bonaventure from Belgium or China's Zhouxian Bai in her upcoming match.
