RIYADH: The season-ending WTA Finals will be held in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh from 2024-2026, the women’s tennis body said on Thursday.
Riyadh will host the season finale — which features the top eight singles players and doubles teams — from Nov. 2 to 9 and replaces last year’s hosts Cancun, Mexico.
The WTA said its agreement with the Saudi Tennis Federation will offer record prize money of $15.25 million this year with further increases in 2025 and 2026.
“To have a women’s tournament of this magnitude and profile is a defining moment for tennis in Saudi Arabia. The WTA Finals has the power to inspire far beyond the sport, especially for our young girls and women,” the Saudi sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki told Reuters.
Talk that the event could be shifted to Saudi Arabia had intensified after the men’s ATP Tour said last August its Next Gen Finals would be held in Jeddah from 2023 to 2027.
“The WTA selected Riyadh following a comprehensive evaluation process over several months, which has included assessment of multiple bids from different regions and engagement with players,” it said in a statement.
Rafael Nadal was named ambassador of the Saudi tennis federation with plans also in the pipeline for a training academy.
The men’s ATP tour also signed a multi-year “strategic partnership” with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which is now the official naming partner of the men’s rankings.
Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in sports like soccer, Formula One and golf in the last few years.
WTA chief Steve Simon said last year that Saudi Arabia presented “big issues” as a host for women’s tour events but also acknowledged the progress it had made and continued to engage with players.
“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,” Simon said.
“We’ve been impressed by the commitment shown by the Saudi Tennis Federation to grow the sport at all levels.”
World number one Iga Swiatek and Caroline Wozniacki said at the Australian Open that engagement offered the chance to spark positive change.
There has been pushback from greats Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova saying the WTA’s values were in stark contrast to those of Saudi Arabia and holding the event there would not represent progress but “significant regression.”
But the country’s ambassador to the US Princess Reema bint Bandar said the criticism represented stereotypical and western-centric views.
The tournament was looking at a long future in Shenzhen, China, when the WTA held the 2019 edition of the Finals there with a prize pot of $14 million after the Asian city saw off rival bids to secure a 10-year deal.
However, China’s response to the COVID pandemic forced the event to be canceled the following year and it was shifted to Guadalajara, Mexico in 2021.
It did not return to Shenzhen in 2022 as expected after the WTA suspended its billion-dollar business in China amid concerns over the treatment of former doubles number one Peng Shuai.
The WTA eventually resumed operations in China last year.
Fort Worth, Texas hosted the 2022 tournament, drawing sparse crowds and the WTA was expected to shift it to Saudi Arabia last year before naming Cancun as the venue less than two months from the start.
That edition was criticized by Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, who said that she felt “disrespected” by the standard of organization, prompting Simon to send a letter to players admitting the event was “not perfect.”
WTA Finals to be held in Saudi Arabia from 2024-2026 with record prize money
https://arab.news/95h5q
WTA Finals to be held in Saudi Arabia from 2024-2026 with record prize money
- Riyadh will host the season finale — which features the top eight singles players and doubles teams — from Nov. 2 to 9
- Saudi Tennis Federation will offer record prize money of $15.25 million this year
Donovan Mitchell scores 43 and Cavaliers beat the Pacers 126-104 to cut series deficit to 2-1
INDIANAPOLIS: Donovan Mitchell had 43 points and nine rebounds, and the finally full-strength Cleveland Cavaliers beat Indiana 126-104 on Friday night to cut the Pacers’ lead to 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The road team has won all three games in the series, and the Pacers will have another chance to break that trend Sunday in Game 4.
Cleveland was desperate to avoid falling into a 3-0 hole and used everything in its arsenal to hold on this time — making 14 3-pointers, holding a 56-37 rebounding edge, even relying on zone defense to slow down the high-scoring Pacers.
And with NBA Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley, All-Star guard Darius Garland and key backup De’Andre Hunter all suited up after missing Game 2, Mitchell got the support he needed.
Max Strus made four 3-pointers and finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Three other Cleveland players also scored in double figures on a night the Cavs led by as much 26, never trailed and managed to protect their late lead when the Pacers cut the deficit to 11 early in the fourth.
Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 23 points. Pascal Siakam had 18 and Tyrese Haliburton finished with four points and five assists in his first career home loss in a postseason game he’s appeared.
The most physical of the three games resulted in players routinely sprawled on the floor. Hunter turned into a hard shoulder after making a basket early in the second quarter, a collision that nearly knocked him down, and Mitchell took a nasty spill into the front-row seats while being called for an offensive foul.
Tempers also flared at times with the Pacers drawing five technical fouls, one for a delay of game.
On the court, though, Cleveland controlled most of the game after breaking a 36-36 tie with a 25-4 run that helped push the Cavs to a 66-45 halftime cushion.
Indiana cut it to 80-65 midway through the third quarter and looked ready to pull off another fourth-quarter rally when Siakam’s 3 with 8:24 to play made it 104-93. But Mitchell and Strus answered with back-to-back 3s to lead a game-sealing charge.
Iraq hire former Australia boss Graham Arnold as head coach
- Arnold left Australia in September
- Iraq are third in Group B of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup
BAGHDAD: Iraq hired former Australia boss Graham Arnold as head coach of their national team on Friday.
Arnold left Australia in September after six years in charge during which he took the Socceroos to the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup, where they lost to eventual winners Argentina.
Iraq are third in Group B of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup and Arnold will start with two crucial games against leader South Korea in Basra on June 5 and second-placed Jordan in Amman five days later.
Six points from these two matches would seal Iraq’s place at the tournament for the first time since their 1986 debut.
Lebanon welcomes Saudi basketball delegation
- The arrival of Al-Ittihad marks significant step following Beirut’s efforts to rebuild international trust
- Lebanese PM Salam welcomes Saudi team ‘to your second home’ after travel ban lifted
BEIRUT: Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad Jeddah Basketball Club landed in Beirut on Friday afternoon, arriving from the Red Sea city on a Middle East Airlines flight.
This marks the first time Saudi nationals have visited Lebanon since the Kingdom’s authorities imposed a travel ban on citizens heading to the country in 2019.
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed the Saudi team.
“This is a visit filled with hope for increased cooperation in various fields, and an opportunity to strengthen the fraternal relations between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia,” he said.
“Welcome to your second home, and among your people.”
Lebanon’s Youth and Sports Minister Nora Bayrakdarian was at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport to receive the Saudi sports delegation.
Al-Ittihad is participating in the FIBA West Asia Super League final eight, alongside teams from Kuwait, the UAE, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, and two teams from Lebanon —Al-Riyadi and Sagesse SC — in matches from May 10-18.
The UAE lifted its travel ban on its citizens visiting Lebanon, and Emirati travelers began arriving in the Mediterranean country at the beginning of this week.
Lebanon is eagerly anticipating the return of other Gulf nationals, particularly in light of President Joseph Aoun’s recent visits to Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, aimed at restoring international trust in the country.
On May 7, an Emirates plane landed at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport, and the passengers from the UAE were welcomed with flowers.
At the time, the Lebanese ambassador to the UAE, Fouad Chehab Dandan, posted pictures of the warm reception on his Facebook account.
The ambassador commented: “A step that brings hope for the return of our Arab brothers to their second home, Lebanon, which will welcome and receive them with flowers, warmth, and love.”
FIFA Women’s World Cup to be expanded to 48 teams from 2031
- The 48-team tournament will adopt a 12-group format, increasing the total number of matches from 64 to 104
- The 2027 tournament in Brazil will remain at 32 teams
PARIS: The Women’s World Cup will be expanded from 32 to 48 teams, like the men’s competition, starting with the 2031 edition, FIFA announced on Friday.
The FIFA Council unanimously agreed to enlarge the competition “given the remarkable recent strides made by women’s football across the world,” the sport’s governing body said in a statement.
The 48-team tournament will adopt a 12-group format, increasing the total number of matches from 64 to 104 and extending the tournament by one week, FIFA said.
FIFA have still to ratify the 2031 and 2035 hosts.
The 2027 tournament in Brazil will remain at 32 teams.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the move followed the success of the 2023 World Cup in Australia won by Spain.
The 2023 tournament was “the first in which teams from all confederations won at least one game and teams from five confederations reached the knockout stage, among many other records, set a new standard for global competitiveness,” said Infantino.
“This decision ensures we are maintaining the momentum in terms of growing women’s football globally.
“This is not just about having 16 more teams playing ... but taking the next steps in relation to the women’s game in general by ensuring that more FIFA Member Associations have the chance to benefit from the tournament to develop their women’s football structures.”
The decision, FIFA said, will broaden representation, offering more nations and players access to elite competition and accelerating investment in women’s football worldwide.
The men’s tournament will be expanded to 48 teams for the World Cup in 2026, to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Liverpool’s Salah voted Football Writers’ Player of the Year
- Salah earned the prize after scoring 28 goals and producing 18 assists for Liverpool
- The Egypt forward broke the record for the most goal involvements
LONDON: Mohamed Salah won the Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year award for the third time on Friday after inspiring Liverpool’s march to a record-equalling 20th English title.
Salah earned the prize after scoring 28 goals and producing 18 assists for Liverpool in the Premier League this season.
The Egypt forward broke the record for the most goal involvements in a 38-game Premier League campaign as Arne Slot’s side romped to their first title since 2020.
Salah secured almost 90 percent of the football writers’ votes, marking the biggest winning margin this century.
Liverpool center-back Virgil van Dijk came second in the contest, with Newcastle striker Alexander Isak third and Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice fourth.
Salah, who was previously given the award in 2017-18 and 2021-22, is now level with former Arsenal forward Thierry Henry as the only players to win it three times.
The 32-year-old recently ended speculation over his future by signing a new two-year contract to stay at Anfield until 2027.
Salah’s decision to commit to Liverpool will make them favorites to win a record 21st title next season as they look to move ahead of Manchester United as England’s most successful top-flight club.
Alessia Russo became the second Arsenal player to land the women’s award as the striker finished ahead of last year’s winner Khadija Shaw.
