Aryna Sabalenka is the World No. 1 player on the WTA Tour, and as such, she also feels the responsibility to fight for equal prize money.
The Belarusian player hasn't spent plenty of weeks as the World No. 1, but every time she did, there was no doubt that it was well-deserved, considering she always had to dethrone Iga Swiatek.
She did that recently, entering the 2024 WTA Finals as the highest-ranked player. In her first match at the year-end championship, she outplayed Qinwen Zheng, but playing at the WTA Finals in Riyadh also gave her a chance to speak about important topics.
This year, the WTA Finals are held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the first time, and it was a controversial move by the WTA that raised many questions, considering the country's track record when it comes to human rights.
However, the move to Saudi Arabia also means that the WTA Finals in 2024 offer astronomically high prize money, with $15,250,000 set to be split among players competing at the tournament.
The undefeated champion, which Sabalenka is one of the favorites to become, could win $5,155,000, which would be more than winning any Grand Slam title.
Speaking to the Arab News ahead of the tournament, the Belarusian player reacted to the incredible amount of money that will be distributed among the players in Riyadh.
"That’s crazy, that’s actually crazy. But I think we all deserve that. We are working as hard as the men do. We are making a lot of sacrifices, maybe even more than the men do and I think we deserve it."
The reigning World No. 1 was also asked about being a leader on the WTA Tour. As the World No. 1, she isn't only the leader in the ranking but also the leader when it comes to speaking about important matters.
"Overall, I think to be a leader is tough. But I think it’s a great opportunity to help the sport."
One of the issues that Sabalenka would want to talk about is equal prize money. The prize money distributed across the ATP and WTA tournaments has always been a topic.
This year's year-end championships offer the same prize money for both players on the ATP Tour and those competing on the WTA Tour, and with the WTA Finals being held in Riyadh, Sabalenka feels like it's a great chance to show people how strong women can be.
"To fight for equal prize money, to show the world, to help countries like where we are, to improve the quality of life for women. It’s a responsibility, it’s a good opportunity to speak up for women."
"I like it, I like to have this responsibility and I like to represent women’s sport as strong and powerful women who can fight for their rights."