Jessica Pegula says potential Saudi deal can help WTA ensure equal prize money

LONDON – American world No. 4 Jessica Pegula said doing business with Saudi Arabia can help the WTA in its quest to ensure equal prize money, but it will carefully evaluate following other sports to the Gulf state.

Saudi Arabia has pumped huge amounts of money into football, Formula One and boxing in recent years, while the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit recently ended its two-year dispute with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour by announcing a merger.

WTA chairman Steve Simon said on Friday there were still “big issues” with Saudi Arabia as potential hosts for WTA events. The governing body of women’s tennis has not yet made any decisions or entered into negotiations with the country.

“I’m sure we’ll talk and go about it,” WTA Players’ Council member Pegula said ahead of Monday’s start of Wimbledon.

Men and women get equal prize money at the four Grand Slams.

WTA Tour events, however, have often offered less prize money than those on the separate men’s ATP circuit, but the WTA last week announced plans to address the issue with a new strategy.

“If they (Saudi Arabia) could help get us to equal prize money, though there are negatives, there’s a lot of positives that can come out of it,” Pegula added.

“Hopefully we don’t just look at the negatives.”

Men’s ATP Tour chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said last month he held discussions with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and other potential investors on projects including infrastructure, events and technology investment.

Billie Jean King, the leading architect of women’s professional tennis, said on Friday that she supported talks between the WTA Tour and Saudi Arabia on staging competitions in the kingdom.

Critics have accused the country of using the PIF to engage in “sportswashing” amid criticism of its human rights record. The country denies accusations of human rights abuses and says it protects its national security through its laws.

Men’s world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz said he would have no doubts about competing there, while former Grand Slam champion John McEnroe said tennis should not seek Saudi investment.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray said he would have to think twice about playing in Saudi Arabia, after refusing in the past to participate in exhibition events there.

Novak Djokovic, who has won 23 Grand Slams, warned on Saturday that the “integrity and tradition” of tennis must be preserved should the sport strike a tournament deal with Saudi Arabia.

“I think that we as (an) individual sport on a global level are probably closest to golf in terms of how we see sports,” the 36-year-old Serb said at Wimbledon.

“I think from that example we can probably learn a lot, some positives, some negatives, and try to structure a deal – if it’s going in that direction – that it is going to protect the integrity and tradition and history of this sport, but still be able to grow it in such way that it will be appropriate.” REUTERS, AFP