Tunisian tennis sensation Ons Jabeur praised Princess Reema for her remarkable response to the criticism from Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova regarding the potential hosting of the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia. Evert and Navratilova expressed strong opposition to the idea, stating that it would be a setback for women’s tennis. However, Princess Reema, the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States, countered their arguments by debunking outdated stereotypes and providing a thorough explanation for each claim made by the tennis legends.
Jabeur commended Princess Reema’s response, describing it as classy, elegant, and impressive. The tennis star expressed her personal excitement about the prospect of playing in Saudi Arabia, along with the rest of the players. There have been persistent rumors about the WTA and Saudi Arabia reaching an agreement to host the prestigious season-ending tournament in the Kingdom for the next few years. This has intensified the criticism from those opposing the move.
In response to the critics, Jabeur urged them to educate themselves about the positive developments taking place in Saudi Arabia. She emphasized the importance of being well-informed and not relying solely on one-sided narratives, not only in this matter but in general. Jabeur, who has participated in the WTA Finals in 2022 and 2023, also shared her own positive experience when she visited Saudi Arabia for an exhibition in December. She expressed a desire to share this experience with other players.
Currently, Jabeur is preparing to compete in the Abu Dhabi Open, where she holds the No. 2 seed.