NEW YORK: The Public Investment Fund and the Women’s Tennis Association on Monday signed a multiyear partnership to support the growth of women’s professional tennis and inspire more females around the world to take up the sport.
The partnership also aims at enhancing and developing initiatives that support players at all levels.
As a global partner of the WTA, the PIF will become the first naming partner of the organization’s rankings, the highest official rankings for professional women tennis players.
And through the partnership with the WTA, the PIF will continue to be a catalyst for the growth of women’s sport, according to Mohamed Al-Sayyad, the fund’s head of corporate brand.
Al-Sayyad said: “We look forward to working with the WTA to increase participation and inspire the next generation of talent. Underpinned by PIF’s four strategic sponsorship pillars, this partnership aligns with our ambition to elevate the game and bring positive growth to the sport around the world.”
The PIF WTA rankings will track players’ journeys, and the PIF will work with the WTA to celebrate and support players’ progress.
WTA’s CEO Marina Storti said: “We are delighted to welcome PIF as a global partner of the WTA and our first-ever official naming partner of the WTA rankings.
“Together, we look forward to sharing the journey of our talented players across the season, as we continue to grow the sport, creating more fans of tennis and inspiring more young people to take up the game.”
As part of its commitment to inspire youngsters, the PIF will work with the WTA to expand existing initiatives and develop new opportunities for young players, providing a significant boost to the game’s next generation of stars.
The PIF announced its partnership with the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) in February and became the official naming partner of the PIF ATP rankings. The PIF has now become the only global partner across both the WTA and ATP tours.
The new partnership between the WTA and the PIF follows the recent announcement that the season-ending WTA Finals will be hosted in Riyadh for the next three years, starting in 2024.
PIF, WTA sign multiyear partnership to speed up global growth of women’s tennis
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PIF, WTA sign multiyear partnership to speed up global growth of women’s tennis
- PIF will become first naming partner of the WTA rankings
- PIF to continue to be a catalyst for growth of women’s sport
Sabalenka says Kyrgios match will not harm women’s tennis reputation
- Sabalenka will play the Australian, ranked 672 in the world, on December 28
- “I am not putting myself at any risk,” the 27-year-old Belarusian told the BBC
LONDON: World number one Aryna Sabalenka says she is not concerned that losing to Nick Kyrgios in this month’s ‘Battle of the Sexes’ exhibition could damage the reputation of women’s tennis.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka will play the Australian, ranked 672 in the world, on December 28.
“I am not putting myself at any risk,” the 27-year-old Belarusian told the BBC. “We’re there to have fun and bring great tennis. Whoever wins, wins.
“It’s so obvious that the man is biologically stronger than the woman, but it’s not about that. This event is only going to help bring women’s tennis to a higher level.”
Some have criticized the event which has echoes of the original 1973 Battle of the Sexes match in which women’s trailblazer Billie Jean King was challenged by 55-year-old former Grand Slam winner Bobby Riggs who claimed women’s tennis was far inferior to men’s.
King won the match in Houston with the contest attracting a reported 90 million television viewers.
Unlike Riggs, Kyrgios is still an active Tour player although he played only five professional matches in 2025 because of the injuries that have dogged his career.
“It’s not going to be an easy match for Nick,” Sabalenka said. “I’m going to be there competing and showing women are strong, powerful and good entertainment.
“He’s in a lose-lose situation. I’m in a win-win situation.”
Kyrgios, the former world number 13, said in September that women can’t return men’s serves and that he would beat Sabalenka without having to try 100 percent.
However, he said the match would increase respect between the men’s and women’s Tours.
“So I can’t do anything other than hope me and Aryna play our best tennis and, at the end of the day, whoever wins, that our handshake afterwards solidifies the union between males and females in the tennis world,” he said.
