The Women's Tennis Association signed a multi-year partnership with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund on May 20, bringing the kingdom's sovereign wealth into women's tennis five months after the men's ATP Tour closed a similar arrangement in February. The WTA did not disclose the total commercial value. Industry observers familiar with comparable Gulf sovereign deals peg the commitment north of $500 million when tournament hosting rights, title sponsorships, and player-benefit programs are included.
The centerpiece is the PIF WTA Maternity Fund Program, the first paid-leave structure for professional tennis players. Under the arrangement, WTA members ranked inside the top 250 singles or top 100 doubles who take maternity leave will receive financial support calibrated to their ranking—$10,000 minimum per player, scaling to six figures for top-50 athletes, according to terms shared with tour representatives. The ATP deal contained no comparable provision. The WTA Players' Council, led by council president Ons Jabeur, championed the structure during negotiations that began in Q4 2024 after the ATP announcement created internal pressure for the women's side to secure equivalent or better terms.
Saudi Arabia now owns naming rights to two yet-to-be-announced WTA 1000-level tournaments beginning in the 2026 calendar. One event is expected in Riyadh during the Middle East swing (February–March window), the other likely positioned as a clay or hard-court lead-in to a major. The kingdom already hosts the Next Gen ATP Finals and the WTA Finals moved to Riyadh in 2024 under a separate agreement worth a reported $150 million over three years. PIF's entry formalizes Saudi Arabia's vertical integration across both professional tennis tours, positioning it alongside Qatar (Doha hosting), the UAE (Dubai Championships), and China (multiple WTA 1000 stops) as core calendar anchors outside the Grand Slams.
The deal arrives as the WTA faces declining traditional broadcast reach in North America. The tour's U.S. rights package with Tennis Channel and ESPN expires after the 2025 season. The PIF partnership introduces a deep-pocketed stakeholder before those renewals, giving the WTA leverage to either negotiate higher rights fees or, if talks stall, explore direct-to-consumer distribution funded by Gulf capital. The ATP used a similar sequencing—PIF deal first, then used that cash position to press broadcasters. The WTA's partnership includes a digital content fund earmarked for player-personality features, Instagram documentary shorts, and TikTok athlete collaborations, echoing the ATP's "player brand investment" line item. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka endorsed the new player-visibility focus on May 23, calling the investment "important for the growth of the sport." Translation: appearance fees and appearance opportunities now carry PIF backing.
The maternity fund represents $3 million to $5 million in annual outlays assuming 30 to 50 players per year take leave. The WTA framed it as a historic first; structurally, it's a retention mechanism. Without it, players ranked 50 to 150 often retired rather than absorb a rankings freeze and zero income during pregnancy. By keeping mid-tier athletes in the system longer, the WTA maintains depth-of-field for broadcasters and sponsors who negotiate on "number of markets represented" and "total name recognition across the draw." The fund also boxes out rival leagues: if a breakaway tour emerged, it would need to match paid leave from day one.
Saudi Arabia's PIF now holds positions in Formula 1 (via Aramco title sponsorship and race hosting), LIV Golf (outright ownership), the ATP Tour (via the February strategic partnership), and the WTA Tour. The fund's sports portfolio also includes stakes in Newcastle United (English Premier League) and ongoing talks with World Wrestling Entertainment around Middle East events. The tennis double-header—men's and women's tours—gives PIF the sport's full IP stack outside the four majors, which remain independently controlled by national federations and the International Tennis Federation.
What to watch: The WTA will name the two PIF-sponsored 1000-level tournament sites and dates by the 2025 US Open in late August, when the 2026 calendar is finalized. Maternity fund applications open January 2026. Rights renewal negotiations with Tennis Channel and ESPN enter final rounds in Q3 2025; if either broadcaster reduces its offer, expect the WTA to announce a Saudi-backed streaming alternative by year-end. Separately, watch whether the WTA adopts the ATP's playbook of inviting PIF representatives onto tour governance committees. The ATP gave PIF a non-voting observer seat on its board. The WTA has not yet disclosed whether the partnership includes similar governance access.
The PIF deal consolidates Saudi Arabia's position as the primary non-Grand Slam capital source in professional tennis, effectively replacing Porsche, BNP Paribas, and Rolex as the tour's liquidity backstop. The maternity fund buys goodwill. The tournament hosting rights buy calendar control. The governance question buys influence. The WTA sold all three.
The takeaway
WTA's PIF deal mirrors ATP structure but adds paid maternity leave ATP didn't secure, positioning Saudi Arabia as tennis's primary non-major capital source ahead of U.S. broadcast renewals.
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