The WTA Finals are being held in Saudi Arabia for the first time in the tournament’s history, amid a series of negative reactions from fans and former players, and the lack of atmosphere has left bosses red-faced.

Tennis is not the first sport, nor the last, to accept enormous riches from the Middle East. Rafael Nadal played the penultimate match of his career alongside the biggest names in men’s tennis last month at the Six Kings Slam.

The exhibition had a mixed reception, but the WTA Finals, which saw the likes of Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff pack their bags for Riyadh, have so far been an unmitigated disaster.

On Sunday, a weekday in the region, only 400 fans attended when Gauff and Swiatek defeated Jessica Pegula and Barbora Krejcikova respectively, despite tickets costing just £6.66 to see the world’s best athletes compete, according to The Athletic.

King Saud University’s indoor stadium has a capacity of 4,000 and those tuning in on television will no doubt have been disappointed by the miserable atmosphere of such a big event in the tennis calendar.

“Just look at this WTA Finals as an event, it’s extremely disappointing when you have the best players in the world. Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff – to perform today in front of a crowd like that,” said British tennis icon Tim Henman.

Swiatek said she “obviously” wanted more fans inside the arena, but did not criticize the attendance because she stated that the lack of fans made her more “comfortable” returning to tennis.

Wimbledon champion Krejcikova similarly insisted the atmosphere was “nice” as she battled to a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory over the world number one.

The WTA Finals will be held in Saudi Arabia for the next three years, and all parties involved will be aware that patience is needed to increase the popularity of tennis in the Middle East. But this is far from an ideal start to a tournament already mired in controversy.

“It is important to remember that this is the first time a WTA event has been held in Saudi Arabia, so we are bringing tennis to a new audience and that takes time to build,” the WTA said in a statement.

“Our goal is to grow the WTA Finals and increase attendance over the three-year term of the partnership. What we are sure of is that everyone who comes will enjoy exciting tennis and a great experience.

“We are pleased with the great attendance on the opening day of the WTA Finals with thousands of people watching from the stands. We always anticipate lower attendance with the start of the Saudi work week on Sunday, but anticipate numbers will increase as we approach the weekend. There is a great atmosphere and support from the fans.”

While the association claims to be reassured by the lack of fans attending matches, an empty stadium does not offer the great experience expected in the Kingdom.