Before she competes in the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia, American tennis star Coco Gauff says that she held discussions with some of the country’s leaders on their controversial human rights record.
Gauff says that she’s met with Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud – who serves as the Saudi Ambassador to the United States – to discuss the treatment of women in the country.
‘We spoke with a lot of women here in Saudi. One of them was Princess Reema. Multiple calls with her, how the best approach would be to enter into this different place that women have never kind of, women from U.S., have never kind of been in,’ Gauff told reporters on Friday.
‘I think for me it was important, and it was one of the questions I brought up because about LGBTQ issues, women’s rights issues, how we can help with that.’
Gauff also told reporters that her father was concerned about his daughter visiting the country due to its discrimination against women.
‘Obviously I’m a woman. I was very concerned. My dad was very concerned with me coming here,’ Gauff said.
The 20-year-old tennis star admitted to reporters that she had ‘reservations’ about playing in the event because it was in Saudi Arabia.
‘I would be lying to you if I said I had no reservations,’ Gauff said.
‘Obviously, you know who I am and the things I speak about. I was pretty much on every player call I could make with WTA.
‘One of the things I said, if we come here, we can’t just come here and play our tournament and leave. Like, we have to have a real program or real plan in place,’
Gauff compared the situation in Saudi Arabia to what her grandmother went through when the United States was integrating public schools in Florida over 60 years ago.
‘I think knowing from the past from my grandmother, integrating her school, people aren’t going to like it, but obviously in the long run I think it could be better for everybody,’ Gauff said.
Gauff says that she hopes to leave an impact on the country in spite of its human rights record.
‘Obviously I’m very aware of the situation here in Saudi. I mean, my view on it is, I do think that sport can have a way to open doors to people. I think in order to kind of want change, you have to see it. I think sports, for me, I would say, is the easiest way to kind of introduce that,’ she said.
‘Hopefully with WTA coming here and they pledged for the next three years to help the future Stars Program here in Saudi, have introduced more Saudi women especially into the sport.
‘I think their goal is to have a million people playing tennis here by 2030. Hopefully with that, people can see us, what we represent, and hopefully that will enact more equality.’
