The first tournament (and what a tournament!) to be played in Saudi Arabia will have an unexpected surprise: Garbine Muguruza is the new director of the ATP Finals in Riyadh. Having recently retired from professional tennis, the 31 year-old Spaniard will therefore hold the first managerial role of her career, as announced by the WTA. The former Spanish tennis player becomes the first former player to lead the event which she won in 2021.
"I feel very privileged to be able to contribute to the future of this great sport as director of the WTA Finals in Riyadh. I know how special this event is for our best players and I have also seen its potential to inspire communities around the world. I'm excited to work with a great team to present a showcase for women's tennis that not only grows the game, but encourages all fans and especially girls and women to pursue their dreams," said Muguruza.
Steve Simon, chairman and CEO of the WTA, added: "I know that Muguruza will have the interests of our players at heart. She is perfect for this role, fundamental in what we believe will be exciting editions of the WTA Finals."
Starting from this year's edition, which will take place from 2 to 9 November and will feature the best eight singles players and the best eight doubles pairs, Muguruza will work with the WTA, the Saudi Tennis Federation and the Ministry of Sports to supervise strategic planning and implementation of the event for the next three years, from 2024 to 2026. During her playing career, Muguruza qualified for the WTA Finals on four occasions, taking the title in Guadalajara, Mexico in 2021. The former Spanish tennis player also won two Grand Slam tournaments: Roland-Garros in 2016 and Wimbledon in 2017, the year in which she was also world number 1.
