ISLAMABAD – Saudi Arabia is to stage its first-ever international tennistournament in a “watershed moment for the Kingdom”, the country´s topsports official said on Tuesday.

Swiss three-time Grand Slam winner Stanislas Wawrinka and rising starDaniil Medvedev are two big names already signed up to appear in theeight-player December 12-14 hardcourt event.

“Hosting world class international tennis in Saudi Arabia for the veryfirst time is another watershed moment for the Kingdom,” said PrinceAbdulaziz Bin Turki Al Faisal Al Saud, chairman of the General SportsAuthority of Saudi Arabia.

The $3 million tournament is being staged in Diriyah on the outskirts ofRiyadh, the venue for the world heavyweight title rematch between AnthonyJoshua and Andy Ruiz Jr on December 7.

In February KSA hosted a first European Tour golf event and they arestaging next year´s Dakar Rally. -APP/AFP