With the announcement of Garbine Muguruza as the tournament director of the WTA Finals Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has also revealed its ambitious tennis development plans for the next six years. The Middle Eastern country aims to inspire one million Saudis to get active and start playing the sport by 2030.
The WTA Finals Riyadh is a cornerstone of the Saudi Tennis Federation’s (STF) efforts to boost tennis participation and growth across Saudi Arabia. Since 2018, over 100 international sports events have been held, drawing in 2.6 million fans as part of the Ministry of Sport’s initiative to encourage active and healthy lifestyles.
Arij Mutabagani, President of the STF, emphasized the significance of the event: “It’s important the world sees that our tennis ambitions go far beyond hosting. We want to get on court and play. We want to inspire our people to fall in love with the game, to compete, to create new growth and connect to the sport globally. That’s why our pledge is important as we want to get rackets in hands in our communities and schools so that many first steps are taken as a result of the tournament.”
During the WTA’s landmark visit, the new WTA Finals tournament director, Garbine Muguruza, and WTA Finals community ambassador, Judy Murray, participated in the first of a series of nationwide tennis clinics, helping over 30 young talents from Riyadh improve their techniques. Tennis, being one of the most popular sports among Saudi Arabia’s young population (with over 20 million people under 30), will gain unprecedented excitement as they witness the world’s best players.
Additionally, the grassroots program ‘Tennis for All’ aims to introduce 60,000 boys and girls to tennis in schools across the country. Several new community initiatives will be announced in the coming months to further accelerate the momentum toward the 2030 goal.
“For us, seeing is believing and with our aim to inspire 1 million into tennis by 2030, this event promises to deliver both impact and legacy,” said the President of the STF regarding November’s WTA Finals. “And I am confident that this partnership with the WTA will be a game changing experience for the sport in our country.”
