This week saw another “first” for Saudi women and women’s sports in the Kingdom as the Saudi Arabia sent their first female team to an International Tennis Federation (ITF) event, Reuters reports.
The team will enter this week’s Asia/Oceania pre-qualifying event for the Billie Jean King Cup Juniors in Sri Lanka. Both Saudi Arabia and Brunei are making their Billie Jean King Cup Juniors debuts in the tournament this week.
“This is an amazing experience, and it is so empowering,” Areej Farah, captain of the four-player Saudi team, said in an interview for the ITF’s website. “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.”
According to a report in the Associated Press, Saudi Arabian player Dania Alzuhair said her team’s appearance is “groundbreaking.”
