By Shrivathsa Sridhar
LONDON, July 1 (Reuters) – Coco Gauff welcomed the relocation of the WTA Finals to Indian Wells in southern California from Saudi Arabia, but the American hoped the season-ending event would find a more permanent home after moving to several venues in the last few years.
The WTA said on Wednesday that the November 8-15 event would be shifted out of Riyadh this year, prematurely ending a three-year hosting agreement signed in 2024, with the 2026 edition to take place in the United States.
Gauff, who won the tournament in the Saudi Arabian capital two years ago, said it was good to bring elite tennis to a new demographic but she had no complaints about the change.
“I’m really biased, so I’m really happy it’s in the U.S. As an American, it’s cool,” Gauff told reporters at Wimbledon about the prospect of returning to the Californian desert after the usual March stop there on the women’s tour.
“It’s going to be weird going to be in Indian Wells in November. I’m very curious if we’re going to be playing in the night or the day. I hope the day, because I feel it’s going to be a little chilly at night.
“Obviously I have great memories in Saudi, playing and winning my title there two years ago. We had a warm reception from them. It was really cool just to bring I think the first women’s professional tennis event being held there.”
Shenzhen, Guadalajara, Fort Worth and Cancun have also hosted the tournament since 2019.
“I definitely would like to see a more permanent home for it,” Gauff added.
WTA FINALS ‘SAGA’ CONTINUES, PEGULA SAYS
Gauff’s compatriot Jessica Pegula said it was not the fault of the women’s body that they had been unable to keep the event at a single venue for a long period, suggesting the conflict in the Middle East might have also been a factor.
“The saga of the WTA Finals continues,” Pegula added.
“It’s like we can’t catch a break, and I don’t necessarily think it’s our fault. There tends to be a lot of world conflicts that seem to happen and get in the way.”
The WTA did not give a specific reason as to why it was taking the event out of Saudi Arabia, which has been accused by human rights advocates of investing heavily to “sportswash” its human rights record.
The kingdom denies accusations of human rights abuses and says it protects its national security through its laws.
The Saudi Tennis Federation said together with the WTA it had reached thousands of people through community programs aimed at benefiting women and also increased the visibility of women’s tennis across the kingdom and globally.
Pegula said the WTA eventually had to do what it was comfortable with and she knew Indian Wells was an option due to its ability to deliver a top-class event.
“It’s unfortunate we couldn’t quite end in Riyadh on a good note. But things happen. So we just have to go along with that decision. Hopefully I can be there in November,” she said.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in London; Editing by Alison Williams)
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