Martina Navratilova makes her opinion clear on WTA Finals being played in Saudi Arabia as ATP agrees deal till 2027

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova shares her opinion regarding the ongoing fiasco about the WTA finals being played in Saudi Arabia.

Martina Navratilova makes her opinion clear on WTA Finals being played in Saudi Arabia as ATP agrees deal till 2027

Martina (above), image credit (People magazine)

Prominent journalist Jon Wertheim took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share tennis legend Martina Navratilova’s opinion regarding the ongoing fiasco about the WTA finals being played in Saudi Arabia. As per Jon himself, the former tennis player revealed a very cryptic message regarding the apparent news of the ATP NextGen finals taking place in Saudi Arabia. She said, “I can tell you 100% if I were still playing, I would not be going [to Saudi Arabia] for the Championships.” 

For the uninitiated, Martina Navratilova is one of the most iconic players in tennis and has won 18 Grand Slam titles in her time. She retired in 2006 and was widely considered the greatest tennis player of her time. That’s not all; the former tennis legend battled cancer and is now a well-retired player who is valued a lot.

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For context, ATP NextGen is a tournament featuring the top 21-and-under players in the world. A rumor has been making the rounds on the internet that this tournament is all set to move to Saudi Arabia. At the time of writing, the news is not 100% confirmed by the ATP. However, if they decide to move, then it would be a significant change, as it would be the first time such a tournament would be played in the Middle East.

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Related: Martina Navratilova fires shots on George W. Bush and Donald Trump as the latter’s mugshots were released after being arrested in criminal case

WTA Finals to be held for the first time in the Middle East

Martina Navratilova (Source: Hindustan Times)
Martina Navratilova (Source: Hindustan Times)

The ATP has not officially announced the move to Saudi Arabia, but Jon’s report is purely based on other resources, which may not be completely true. With that being said, Saudi Arabia doesn’t hold a good reputation with all the rumors about the country’s human rights record. However, ATP has defended this statement, saying that it is part of its “commitment to expanding the reach of the game”.

This is a sign of the tournament’s global reach and expansion. This way, the game attracts audiences from the Middle East, encouraging more people to come out and play.

ATP NextGen has always produced wonderful stars in the past and promises to do so in the future. Players like Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Jannik Sinner, Stephanos Tsitsipas, and more have won this tournament and made an impact in the current men’s league. It already has a lot of fans following the tournament, but with its shift in location, it can reach new heights and encourage more participants.

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