Aryna Sabalenka 'Very Grateful For Support' WTA Receives From Saudi Arabia
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The WTA launched a bold new direction and rebrand a few days ago, which has been endorsed by world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. She is also happy with the increased Saudi investment in tennis.
There are a few elements to the WTA's changes. Its previous purple logo has been replaced by a new one with a green background. That change received a mixed response, with Kristina Mladenovic admitting she preferred the old logo.
The WTA's new tagline is "Rally the world." It demonstrates the governing body's determination to continue the global rise of the women's game by having the players inspire fans from countries worldwide.
Statistics released show that global viewership of the WTA Tour is rising. Therefore, the tour's organizers feel now is the right time to seize that moment and boost its stature even further.
Part of that push is an attempt to show the players' personalities. There has been a flurry of clips from photoshoots the players have been doing, where they describe themselves and what they stand for in some way.
Sabalenka is very happy with that move. Speaking to Reuters, the three-time Grand Slam champion said she found it a refreshing change of pace from the WTA and thinks it's important that players' personalities are shown.
"It means a lot. We needed this refreshing moment for so long. It’s a big move and I hope it’s going to help our sport to get better. The WTA should show our personalities and what it takes to become a top athlete. We all have to be an inspiration for the younger generation."
The WTA's rebrand is another step in the transformation of the women's game. Another critical development last year was the governing body accepting increased investment from the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).
That move was met with a mixed reception because of Saudi Arabia's poor human rights record, including in relation to women's rights. There have been improvements in recent years, but problems continue to exist.
The increased investment and partnership from PIF led to the 2024 WTA Finals being hosted in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. Coco Gauff beat Qinwen Zheng in a thrilling final and received the highest prize money in women's tennis history, $4.8 million.
Sabalenka has no problem with the increased Saudi involvement. She insists that the country's people are passionate about tennis and that everyone involved with the WTA Tour should be grateful for their support.
"I’ve been there a lot and they have passion for sport. Their help means a lot for us. Their support is very important for the WTA. I think all of us will be very grateful for their support."
Before last year's WTA Finals in Riyadh, Gauff admitted she had reservations about playing in Saudi Arabia since she has been vocal off the court about issues like gender equality and gay rights, the latter of which, in particular, are brutally oppressed in Saudi Arabia.
However, by the end of the tournament, Gauff looked comfortable with being in Riyadh and seemed to think the benefits of inspiring people in the country outweighed the negatives.
