Roving WTA Finals to land in North Carolina for three years

The WTA Finals will pitch a tent in North Carolina in late 2027 as the roving wrapup to the season settles in for a three-year-run in Charlotte.

The WTA revealed the venue on Wednesday, with the southern US due to stage three editions.

The event highlighting the top eight points finishers in singles and doubles for the season has had something of a “homeless” problem since the Covid  pandemic in 2020 when it was scrapped for that season after fulfilling only the first year of a multi-edition contract in Shenzhen, China..

This season’s conclusion will be staged at Indian Wells, the Californian venue for an ATP-WTA Masters 1000 played each March.

Fears are growing that the desert chill of a November night may mean unsuitably cold temperatures which could affect play.

The finals have been staged at five eclectic venues in the six editions since 2021:  Guadalajara, Mexico, Fort Worth, Texas, Cancun, Mexico and Riyadh, Saudi (twice).

The upcoming Indian Wells edition is just another place-holder for a Tour which is reportedly running low on corporate cash but struggles on.

The event will be played at the home of the NBAs Charlotte Hornets, from 2027-2029.

“The multi-year partnership will give the WTA greater opportunity to shape the experience and identity of one of its most important assets, deepen relationships with fans and commercial partners, and build a championship platform designed to grow alongside women’s sport,” a PR release read.

“The WTA Finals represents everything that makes women’s tennis extraordinary: the world’s best athletes, competing at the highest level, on a stage worthy of what they have accomplished,” said WTA chairwoman Valerie Camillo.

“We have an opportunity now to lead by building a championship experience that reflects just how far women’s sport has come and where it is going next.”

“We want to create the Super Bowl for women’s sports. And not just the competition, but an event that is the annual gathering for women’s tennis, women’s sports, and women’s sport business.”

Main photo: WTA Tour Finals were previously played at Shenzhen Bay Sports Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China