Saudi Arabia’s investment in major sporting events has been criticized for a long time by the Western media on many accounts, particularly those of human and women’s rights. However, it’s rare that sporting events in other countries outside of the region have historically faced the same scrutiny for their record on human rights, racial discrimination, wars, or colonial exploits.
WTA doubles World No. 1 Taylor Townsend recently gave an interview for CLAY where she recounted her experiences in the Kingdom, dispelling the propaganda surrounding it. Townsend qualified for doubles at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, last year. Partnering with Katerina Siniakova, the pair lost the championship match to Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe in straight sets.
The duo have won many significant doubles titles including Wimbledon 2024, the Australian Open 2025, and the WTA 1000 title in Dubai this year. Speaking about her time in Saudi, Townsend remarked:
I went to Riyadh, and it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. The Year End Championship was incredible—one of the best tournaments I’ve played. I really hope that people can unsubscribe to the thoughts that women are treated poorly there, because they are not. I spent almost six straight weeks in the Middle East. I didn’t experience or witness anything negative, not even one time…
The WTA Finals returned to Asia for the first time since 2019 and was hosted by Saudi Arabia for the first time. The tournament was held in King Saud University Indoor Arena, and Riyadh will be it till 2026. Townsend’s statements highlight the importance of respecting different cultures even if you do not grasp them fully. The 29-year-old further added:
The narrative around propaganda media of how women are treated… is not what I saw at all. I think their investment shows they value women. To me, it’s a progressive step.
Though historically gender inequality has been an issue in Saudi Arabia, the country is making big strides to reduce the gap. Many legal reforms have been made in recent years in Saudi Arabia to advance women’s rights.
Taylor Townsend praises the PIF WTA Maternity Fund Program
Taylor Townsend, who reached a career-high doubles ranking of World No. 1 in July this year, is the first mother to reach this milestone. The American tennis star also commented on the PIF WTA Maternity Fund Program, which is the first-ever paid maternity leave for WTA players and offers up to 12 months of paid maternity leave:
Knowing there’s going to be some income during a time when you can’t compete is huge. It gives women a chance to plan their future. In women’s sports, you often have to choose: be a mom or be an athlete. Now we’re in a place where that narrative is shifting. What the WTA is doing is phenomenal. Now you have a backup plan — egg freezing, hormone testing, all of it.
Taylor Townsend (image via Instagram/Taylor Townsend)
This pioneering initiative in women’s sports was announced by the WTA and its global partner PIF, the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia. It is a testament to the country’s growing commitment towards supporting female athletes, and several WTA players have highly appreciated this important move.
Traditionally, female athletes across different sports have had to face sponsorship cuts and uncertainty in income when they became mothers, a famous example of this being Nike’s 70% sponsorship cut of then nine-time Olympic medalist Allyson Felix when she became a mother.
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