Despite being the youngest singles player at the WTA Finals, Coco Gauff is no stranger to discussing difficult topics.
Unsurprisingly to many, she is the player who has spoken out most about human rights in Saudi Arabia, with the country hosting a major women’s sporting event for the first time.
Gauff said she had reservations about playing in the Kingdom, but agreed to go there and compete, believing that “you have to start little by little” for change to happen .
However, she insisted there needed to be a “real plan in place”.
Gauff is – at least for now – ready to put her faith in promises from the WTA and the Saudi Tennis Federation (STF) that the agreement that Riyadh will host the prestigious end-of-season event for the top eight women in singles and doubles can be a force for good.
But it has sparked new scrutiny of motivations and money.
What do the players think?
All players seemed optimistic about the facilities and overall presentation of the final at King Saud University. No expense was spared during a tournament that offers a record price of $15.25 million (£12.04 million).
On site, players have individual changing rooms, as well as a spa, a beauty salon and a mental health office. Photographs of players adorn the walls and, for the official photoshoot, they were individually decorated and worn by a number of renowned designers.
“The venue is beautiful,” said world number two Iga Swiatek.
“This is my fourth WTA Final, so I can kind of compare. So far we haven’t had any problems. Everything is going pretty well.”
Last year’s tournament in Cancun, Mexico, was described as chaotic, with the venue only closing days before the tournament was scheduled to begin.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka felt “disrespected” 12 months ago, but when asked for her first impressions of this year’s tournament, she said: “I’m really happy to be here.
“It’s such a beautiful place. Everything looks really good.”
Homosexuality is illegal in Saudi Arabia, while Amnesty International cited the “imprisonment of women’s rights activists, suppression of freedom of expression and rampant use of the death penalty.”
BBC Sport asked the eight singles players the same question: “Did you personally have any reservations or concerns about coming here given the human rights record, particularly regarding women’s rights and the LGBTQ+ community?
Responses were varied, although there was a sense that players felt free to express themselves without fear of reprisal. Many said they hope they can help bring about change.
Several calls referenced calls having taken place between players and the WTA, with Jessica Pegula – a member of the WTA players’ council – saying there had been “a lot of debate”.
Zheng Qinwen, Elena Rybakina and Jasmine Paolini all suggested that promoting high-level women’s sport could be a good example in Saudi Arabia.
Swiatek said she was trying to “observe and learn how everything works,” while Sabalenka said, “I saw that everything here is pretty quiet.
“Personally, I have no problem playing here. I think it’s really important to bring tennis all over the world and inspire (the) younger generation.”
Gauff’s response drew on his family’s experience during the abandonment of racial segregation in the United States.
“Knowing my grandmother’s past, integrating her school, people are not going to like it, but in the long run I think it might be better for everyone,” she said.
But the 20-year-old added: “If I felt uncomfortable or if I felt like nothing was happening, then maybe I probably wouldn’t come back.”
What is the impact in Saudi Arabia?
The STF’s ambition is to involve one million people in tennis by 2030, from playing to administration.
He says there are currently 177 clubs and 14,000 women actively playing tennis, and STF president Arij Mutabagani hopes to increase this figure.
“Organizing an event like this and the collaboration with the WTA has immense value that will leave a legacy for the country,” she said.
“This will certainly improve the chances of women taking up the sport they love.”
The crowd at the 5,000-capacity stadium was strong for the first match of the tournament between Sabalenka and Zheng, with the cheapest tickets around £6 in local currency. However, Swiatek’s match against Barbora Krejcikova on Sunday, the start day of the work week, saw a significantly lower attendance.
The tournament had previously struggled in Cancun and Texas in 2022 to attract crowds, with former British number one Tim Henman calling this year’s turnout “disappointing and frustrating”.
The WTA had planned to give the media a daily attendance figure but will now give an overall figure at the end of the week. Tour officials are optimistic about building a fan base over the next three years – but they expected lessons to be learned from this year.
Despite initial reservations about working in the country, Judy Murray took on the role of WTA ambassador to Saudi Arabia, focusing on building a workforce to teach beginner tennis in schools.
“It’s a huge opportunity to be a catalyst for change for women’s sport and for tennis to be that catalyst,” she said.
“We are starting to make progress and by the end of year three I hope we will be in a very different position.”
Players attended training camps with young girls, while locals spoke about “Vision 2030” and what the country hopes to achieve in the coming years.
Zaina, 15, training on the same courts as her idols as part of the Future Stars Camp, said: “We never really had these kinds of tournaments and events in Saudi Arabia, so the fact that ‘they finally come and change your life.’
By demonstrating its commitment to hosting women’s sport, the WTA Finals deal could also boost Saudi Arabia’s chances when bidding for future sporting events.
What was the reaction?
There have been reforms in Saudi Arabia – the ban on women driving, for example, has been officially lifted in 2018 – but human rights issues remain.
The WTA said it was “comfortable” with its decision, but legendary players Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert said hosting the year-end event in Saudi Arabia was a decision “an important step backwards” for women’s sport.
This decision angered Fawzia al-Otaibi. Her sister, Manahel, is serving an 11-year prison sentence in Saudi Arabia for social media posts in support of women’s rights and photos showing her uncovered head.
“For me, it’s sports wash and as for the people promoting it, I consider them partners in crime,” Fawzia said.
“I don’t just see them as being paid to promote sports in Saudi Arabia – I see them as inciting girls to believe this advertising and become victims like my sister.”
Asked about the suitability of the country, STF’s Mutabagani said: “We are on a journey of transformation, and we invite everyone to come and help us on this journey.
“I would really like them to come and see for themselves. Seeing is believing.”
