Coco Gauff hopes hosting the WTA finals in Saudi Arabia could “open doors” but admits she has reservations about the event being held in Riyadh.
The WTA Finals, featuring the top eight singles and doubles teams, will be held in Riyadh from November 2 to 9.
Previously, tennis greats Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova have publicly criticized taking the season finale to Saudi Arabia.
“I’m obviously very aware of the situation here in Saudi, and my view on that is I think there’s a way that sports can open doors for people,” the 2023 US Open champion said.
“This is the first professional women’s tennis tournament to be held here. The WTA has committed to assisting the Future Stars program here in Saudi over the next three years and, in particular, to introduce more Saudi women to the sport.
“I think their goal is to have a million people playing tennis here by 2030. I hope this allows people to see us and see what we represent. I hope this brings more equality. .”
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Coco Gauff scored a stunning backhand winner in her epic semifinal against Aryna Sabalenka at the Wuhan Open.
Saudi Arabia has become a destination for high-profile sporting events, but activists have criticized its human rights record.
“I’d be lying if I said I had no reservations. You know who I am and what I’m talking about. I’ve been on pretty much every player call the WTA can,” Gauff said.
“One of the things I said was, ‘If we come here, we can’t just come here, play a tournament and leave. We have to have a real program and a real plan.’
“We spoke to many women in Saudi Arabia, one of whom was Princess Reema Bandar Al Saud (the first female Saudi ambassador to the United States). One of the questions I raised was about LGBTQ issues and women’s rights issues. “We can help.”
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Highlights from the China Open final between Karolina Muchova and Coco Gauff.
But Gauff warns, “If you feel uncomfortable or like nothing is happening, you probably won’t come back.”
Gauff will play Jessica Pegula on Sunday to begin her campaign at the WTA Finals.
