The decision to host the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia for the next three years remains a controversial topic within the tennis community. However, there is a growing acceptance among players regarding the new location, largely due to assurances they have received regarding their safety concerns, including those related to sexual orientation.
Daria Kasatkina, currently ranked 11th in the world and in a relationship with figure skater Natalia Zabiiako, recently spoke to the BBC, stating that she had been “given guarantees” about feeling comfortable and safe in Riyadh should she qualify for the season-ending championships.
Talking to the press at the Mutua Madrid Open, Kasatkina emphasized the growing interest in sports in Saudi Arabia, particularly among young people and women. “We see that the Saudis now are very into the sport, they want to develop the sport,” she noted. “As long as it gives the opportunity to the people there, and the young kids and the women to actually see the sport – so that they can watch it, they can play it, they can participate in this, I think it’s great.”
This marks a shift from her previous reservations about the WTA Finals being held in Saudi Arabia, which she expressed during Wimbledon last year, citing “many issues concerning this…
