- Athletes from the Special Olympics Saudi Arabia participated in a tennis clinic supported by WTA players and legends, showcasing the WTA's commitment to global accessibility in tennis.
- The Saudi Tennis Federation aims to inspire one million people into tennis by 2030, offering young athletes the chance to learn tennis and meet top players.
- The WTA Finals Riyadh is the first professional women's tennis tournament in Saudi Arabia, featuring the world's top 8 singles players and doubles teams.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Ahead of the WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF, athletes from the Special Olympics Saudi Arabia participated in a tennis clinic supported by WTA players and legends. This event underscores the WTA’s commitment to making tennis accessible to everyone around the world.
Today’s session included a diverse group of participants -- girls, boys, men, and women of different ages -- many of whom were introduced to tennis for the first time. They had the opportunity to play on the WTA Finals Riyadh center court with some of the world’s best players and engage in fun activities designed to develop their skills over time. This session was facilitated by WTA players including Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Hsieh Su-Wei and Elise Mertens, along with Special Olympics coaches and the Future Stars, which included 16 of the top young Saudi tennis players.
The collaboration between the Special Olympics Saudi Arabia, the WTA, and the Saudi Tennis Federation reinforces the federation’s goal to inspire one million people to play tennis by 2030.
Ann Austin, Executive Director of the WTA Foundation, said, “Community development is one of the main reasons we are coming into Riyadh with the WTA Finals. We have a global partnership with [Special Olympics] and we are excited to be adding Riyadh to our global list of Special Olympics programs we work with.”
WTA Finals Community Ambassador Judy Murray commented, "We’ve been blown away by the welcome and the enthusiasm. The big thing for us is building a work force to grow the game within the local communities. [During] this trip, we were in schools observing some of the work force we have trained delivering activity within the schools. It was so satisfying seeing the men and women we have trained delivering our content and introducing tennis to so many pupils within the school curriculum”.
WTA player and icon Ons Jabeur added, “It’s an amazing collaboration and a great opportunity for all of us and it’s nice to have the Special Olympics here. It’s great to give the chance to everyone for these kids to enjoy and discover tennis -- it’s a great opportunity. I’m looking forward to seeing what the program will do for these kids.”
The Hologic WTA Tour’s flagship event marks a new era of women’s tennis as the first professional women’s tennis tournament to take place in Saudi Arabia. The crown jewel of the Hologic WTA Tour season, the WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF features the top 8 singles players and doubles teams worldwide, competing for the year-end championship in Riyadh. It is the first of a three-year agreement between the Saudi Tennis Federation and the WTA, serving as a key pillar in Federation’s aim to inspire one million people into tennis by 2030.
For information on how to attend this year’s WTA Finals in Riyadh, please visit: https://webook.com/en/events/wta-finals-tickets
