Billie Jean King surprised many with her support for Saudi investment in tennis.

King, who has long been renowned for not only her tennis play, but fight for equal pay, women's rights, and LGBTQ+ rights, surprised quite a few people when she disclosed her support for Saudi investment in tennis, given Saudi Arabia is a country that has lacked both equality for women and the LGBTQ community.

The primary benefit for the Saudi investment into tennis would be an influx of money which would aim to provide better prize money, particularly for female competitors or competitors who aren't making the top rounds of the Grand Slam tournaments, which currently provide the most money for professional tennis players.

However, for a such a progressive organization like the WTA, it may be hypocritical to take Saudi money and host a tournament in a place lacking these rights when many female and openly gay players may feel uncomfortable or unsafe playing there, according to Dan Wolken of USA Today. These players argue that money isn't always everything.

For Billie Jean King, “engaging” is essential to changing the minds and broadening the scope of the sport and equality.

“How are we going to change things if we don’t engage? It’s hard, it’s very hard,” King told The National. “So when we go to a country and play a tournament, just think, if you’re a little girl, or a parent, that they get to see these women being very successful and great athletes, and it helps change the hearts and minds of people and how they think.”

Saudi Arabia has made a big move into sports lately, with LIV Golf and soccer two of the biggest examples. There's a belief they will expand further, and tennis is just one of the many possibilities.