Saudi Arabia plans to triple prize money in event of hosting WTA Finals, set for battle with Prague, Monterrey and Ostrava

The WTA is in negotiations with Saudi Arabia to host the WTA Finals, with plans to triple the prize money, sparking a reaction from fans.

Saudi Arabia's efforts to boost its presence in the WTA have garnered significant attention within the tennis community. However, the recent developments have left fans with mixed feelings.

In a recent report by the Daily Mail, it has been revealed that the Gulf nation is considering a substantial three-fold increase in prize money, raising it to a staggering $12 million. Additionally, they have proposed an eye-catching $8 million fee for hosting the WTA Finals in Riyadh.

The final decision on the tournament's venue is expected to be made during the ongoing US Open in New York next week. Notably, Washington, Prague, and Monterrey are also contenders in the race to host the year-end championship.

Fans have taken to social media to react to the ongoing negotiations between the WTA and Saudi Arabia, following the continuous reports about discussions between the Arab nation and the association.

"Saudi won’t stop. They will get a slice of tennis one way or another. That’s just a fact. The job of the ATP and WTA is to manage it in a way that avoids a LIV-like situation," some user wrote.

"Hope the WTA doesn't keep trying to find short-term bandaid solutions by taking the highest bidder and actually show some leadership and long-term vision (not to mention integrity) so they can negotiate from a place of power moving forward,"

"The fact that the WTA is considering Saudi Arabia as a host, a country where the LGBTQ+ community has NO rights at all while Daria Kasatkina, an openly gay woman, qualified at last year’s WTA Finals makes me sick. And she’s #12 at the race now so what if she qualifies again?"