Buying women’s tennis was Saudi Arabia’s obvious next step, but it brings new questions

Saudi Arabia will host the WTA Finals next season, which will feature the world’s eight best players (Getty) First there was boxing and Formula 1, the hardest punches and the fastest glamour. Then came the move for football, subtle enough to begin with, until Cristiano Ronaldo was sucked into the bottomless pits of money and … Read more

Why women’s sports are so central to Saudi plans

Al-Ittihad players celebrate victory over Al-Ahli in the Saudi Women’s Premier League – Getty Images/Jose Breton A clear line has been drawn in the desert sands of Saudi Arabia for Western critics who continue to question the morality of the state’s sporting acquisitions. Having poured billions into golf, football, F1, boxing and now tennis, the … Read more

Tennis and snooker are Saudi Arabia’s new frontiers in sports land grabbing

Rafael Nadal has agreed to become an ambassador of the Saudi tennis federation, the Saudi Tennis Federation It has made its way to the top ranks of football, golf, boxing and Formula 1 in an unprecedented shake-up of the world sport establishment. Now tennis and snooker have become the latest developments in Saudi Arabia’s quest … Read more