"It’s just wrong": Navratilova 'heartbroken' about potential Saudi involvement in women's tennis

Former world number one Martina Navratilova has stated that she is ‘heartbroken’ after rumours of players agreeing to receive huge chunks of money from Saudi Arabia.

The Middle Eastern country has taken the world of sports by surprise with their heavy investment in the recent past, in particular after the success of the FIFA World Cup in neighbouring Qatar, in order to promote its soft image.

They have invested heavily in football, signing the likes of five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo and former World Champion N’Golo Kante.

There have been recent reports that Saudia Arabia is now looking to invest in tennis as well, just like they did in golf.

The news received mixed reactions from the players as some openly criticised the move such as Russia’s Daria Kasatkina whereas others are more welcoming towards it just like Australia’s Nick Kyrgios.

Navratilova, who is one of the most successful players in the history of the women’s singles category, having won 18 Grand Slam titles, in response to a tweet, wrote: "I am heartbroken about it. It’s just wrong.”