This week marks a milestone for women’s sport in Saudi Arabia, as the country has sent its first female team to an International Tennis Federation (ITF) event. Four Saudi players are taking part in the juniors category of Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers in Sri Lanka.
The ITF has been working with the Saudi Arabian Tennis Federation on the development of junior initiatives over the past few years. This has enabled the formation of a girls team, which is participating at an ITF team event for the first time.
The team’s captain, Areej Farah, expressed her excitement at taking part in the event. “This is an amazing experience, and it is so empowering,” she said. “Taking part in this event is a big step for women’s tennis in Saudi, and we are all very proud to represent our country and do our best.”
The participation of the Saudi team is a result of recent reforms that have opened up more opportunities for Saudi women in sport. In February 2022, the country’s women’s football team played their first match.
The ITF has welcomed the progress made by Saudi Arabia in promoting women’s sport. “It is wonderful to see,” said the ITF’s development officer for Western and Central Asia, Amir Borghei. “We look forward to seeing the team’s progress in the tournament and beyond.”
This week marks a major milestone for women’s sport in Saudi Arabia, as the country has sent its first female team to an International Tennis Federation (ITF) event. Four Saudi players are taking part in the juniors category of Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers in Sri Lanka. This is a significant step forward for women’s sport in the country, as it marks the first time that a female team has been sent to an international event.
The team’s captain, Areej Farah, expressed her excitement at taking part in the event. “This is an amazing experience, and it is so empowering,” she said. “Taking part in this event is a big step for women’s tennis in Saudi, and we are all very proud to represent our country and do our best.”
The participation of the Saudi team is a result of recent reforms that have opened up more opportunities for Saudi women in sport. In February 2022, the country’s women’s football team played their first match, and this week’s event marks another major step forward for women’s sport in Saudi Arabia.
The ITF has welcomed the progress made by Saudi Arabia in promoting women’s sport. “It is wonderful to see,” said the ITF’s development officer for Western and Central Asia, Amir Borghei. “We look forward to seeing the team’s progress in the tournament and beyond.”
The four-member Saudi team is participating in the Asia/Oceania pre-qualifying event of the Billie Jean King Cup Juniors in Colombo, Sri Lanka this week. The ITF has been working with the Saudi Arabian Tennis Federation on the development of junior initiatives over the past few years, which has enabled the formation of this girls team. It is hoped that this event will open up more doors for young Saudi female athletes and help to further promote women’s sport in the country.