"No words", "Real shame this is happening" - Serena Williams' former coach and fans slam WTA's multi-year partnership with Saudi Arabia's PIF

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) announced a multi-year partnership with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) on Monday, May 20. The partnership will see the PIF become the WTA Rankings' maiden naming partner. It will also involve the WTA and PIF collaborating to support tennis players across all levels.

The latest announcement comes on the back of Saudi Arabia controversially bagging the hosting rights of the prestigious year-end WTA Finals from 2024 to 2026. It was shared on social media by prominent tennis journalist Jon Wertheim.

However, the announcement did not go down well with most tennis fans. Serena Williams' former coach Rennae Stubbs also reacted to the news negatively.

"No words", Stubbs wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

One set of fans expressed similar feelings about the development.

""You’ve taken us back a long way, baby!",” wrote one fan.

"I already don't watch women's tennis. BJK talked a big game for decades until the money eclipsed the principles. I don't want to hear anymore complaining to Feliciano in Madrid about cake sizes and ball girl outfits after signing this deal. That's the least of your worries...," another fan chimed in.

Another set of fans was blatantly critical of the WTA for going ahead with the deal considering Saudi Arabia's poor women's rights record.

"Supporting women players isn’t enough when you’re collaborating with a country where women’s rights are suppressed. It’s a real shame this is happening," one fan wrote.

"No specifics beyond some yadda yadda corporate-speak. Hope the women jailed and lashed in Saudi Arabia for daring to seek rights and speaking their minds are duly inspired and uplifted," commented another fan.

"How about accelerating the release of women in Saudi Arabia for protesting or posting about sexism? They could clear that really low bar before bragging that they'll expand participation in sports," wrote another fan.

Martina Navratilova dismissed making travel plans to WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia after activist's reported prison sentence

Martina Navratilova during a press conference at the Laureus World Sports Awards Madrid 2024

In early May this year, Martina Navratilova, who has been fiercely critical of Saudi Arabia hosting the WTA Finals, told a fan on social media that she does not have any plans of traveling to the country for the prestigious year-end event.

At the time, reports had surfaced from Saudi Arabia, which suggested that Manahel-al-Otaibi, a women's rights activist, had been given an 11-year prison sentence by the country's counter-terrorism court.

Previously, Navratilova, along with yesteryear rival and present-day friend Chris Evert, had written a joint letter urging the WTA to not choose Saudi Arabia as the host of the WTA Finals. However, Navratilova and Evert's efforts ultimately went in vain.