Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund to sponsor women's world tennis rankings

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has signed a "multi-year" deal with the WTA that will see it become the first naming partner of the official world rankings.

The partnership follows the announcement earlier this year that the next three season-ending WTA Finals will be held in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

And it extends the PIF’s investment in tennis, having struck a similar deal to become the naming partner of the ATP’s world rankings in February.

The PIF’s head of corporate brand, Mohamed AlSayyad, said: "Through our partnership with WTA, PIF will continue to be a catalyst for the growth of women’s sport.

"We look forward to working with the WTA to increase participation and inspire the next generation of talent."

The WTA’s growing association with Saudi Arabia was criticised by multiple grand slam winners Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert prior to the Riyadh announcement in January.

The pair pointed out the kingdom’s questionable record on women’s rights and said the then-imminent deal would be a "step backward" for women’s tennis.

Saudi Arabia has been accused of using broad counter-terrorism laws to punish those who criticise the Islamic absolute monarchy's policies in social media posts.

Amnesty International says 29-year-old fitness instructor Manahel al-Otaibi was this year sentenced to 11 years in prison for calling for an end to the country's male guardianship system, wearing "indecent clothes" and shopping without an abaya, a long robe.

Saudi Arabia has claimed Al-Otaibi was "convicted of terrorist offences that have no bearing on her exercise of freedom of opinion and expression or her social media posts"

Other women have received sentences as long as 45 years for social media posts, such as Nourah al-Qahtani in