大象传媒

The WTA Finals - the season-ending finale to the 2024 women鈥檚 tennis season - are taking place in Saudi Arabia for the first time this week. The world鈥檚 best eight singles players and eight doubles teams are competing for the titles in Riyadh, as well as a share of a record prize pot of $15.25 million. But the decision to hold the crown jewel of the women's game in the Kingdom has been mixed. The WTA has been criticised for holding the tournament in Saudi Arabia due to issues over women鈥檚 rights and the treatment of the LGBT community, with world number three Coco Gauff saying she had 鈥渞eservations鈥� about travelling to the country. But the Saudi Tennis Federation says people should come to the Kingdom before passing judgement - with an ambition of getting one million Saudis engaged in tennis by 2030.

Mark Chapman is joined by 大象传媒 tennis correspondent Russell Fuller, 大象传媒 sports news correspondent Laura Scott, and Egyptian tennis journalist Reem Abulleil to discuss how the finals have been received in Saudi Arabia. Plus, we hear from the key people involved in bringing the WTA Finals to Saudi Arabia, including the President of the Saudi Tennis Federation, Arij Mutabagani, and WTA Ambassador, Judy Murray.