The WTA is locking in a blockbuster partnership with Mercedes-Benz with a multiyear deal that is set to become the largest sponsorship in women's sports history. The tour will be branded "WTA Tour   Driven by Mercedes" starting in 2026, marking a major commercial leap for women's tennis.

St. Petersburg

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) has announced a landmark partnership with Mercedes-Benz, marking the largest sponsorship deal in the organization's history. The agreement will see Mercedes-Benz become the premier partner of the WTA Tour, with a long-term commitment to support events across all levels, from smaller WTA 250 tournaments to top-tier WTA 1000 competitions.

WTA leadership highlighted the global reputation and financial strength of Mercedes-Benz as key factors in the partnership, which is expected to enhance the experience for players and fans. The deal is part of the WTA's broader strategy to triple its commercial revenue by 2029 and reflects growing investment and commercial momentum in women's tennis.

WTA lands record Mercedes mega-deal

Congratulations on this record deal for women's tennis. Your partner before this was who logic. And I'm going to be honest I mean it's not a company I or anybody else probably interacts with on a daily basis. Mercedes it's got cash. It's got a luxury and storied history behind it. Just beyond those vibes real world on the ground. What does it mean to have this partnership. Well firstly thanks for having me today. Look I want to say this is a real landmark partnership for the WTA. It is the largest in our history. And for us to welcome Mercedes-Benz as the premier part of the WTA tour. You know a brand that is trusted and admired all over the world. A brand that stands for excellence innovation and I'm really one that has a shared belief in the future of women's tennis. It's a pivotal moment and we are incredibly proud. I first want to say that if you're a doctor or a nurse you interact with whole logic. OK. Yeah my bad. Yes. And secondly you know I grew up going to Mercedes has the big tennis tournament in Stuttgart every year the Weissenhoff. And I always would go to Filderstadt to watch the women play. I think Porsche was behind that. These are great events. They're not grand slams. And this is the kind of thing that I guess you want to see more people appreciating and going to. How much bigger do you think this could make. Tournaments like that on the map. Yeah I think what's great about Mercedes-Benz firstly they're making a long term commitment. And that's really important. But also they are their presence will be across like you say all of the categories of the WTA tour from the smaller events the WTA to 50s to the kind of crunch or the tour the WTA 1000. And really what we'll see is you know it will elevate the experience across the tour and create opportunities along the pathway. Marina and of course WTA ventures exist. We were just talking about private equity in college football. This is also a private equity child as well with CBC coming into the WTA. It is a moment where people are questioning the business of sports because for tennis it has so much money making potential. But it is so incredibly fragmented. Just looking at the future of WTA be it partnerships or else otherwise in order to grow get the revenue you deserve for for media rights. How much is consolidation necessarily part of the story and things like merging with the ATP. Well what I would say that that this this partnership is testament to just the extraordinary commercial momentum beyond women's tennis and the global appeal of the WTA tour. We have an incredible history but also we have a very brilliant future. As I said you know we announced it last year. We have a kind of a goal to triple the value of WTA to triple commercial revenue by 2029. And a partnership like this along with all of the other partnerships that we've been able to sign this year really put us on track firmly on track towards that goal. We do believe that there's potential for certainly for further alignment in tennis. But we think whatever happens we have a very very strong future ahead. How important is in tennis having a huge star. Like I think of women's tennis and I think of Serena Williams. Right. Can you get her to come back. Well of course it would be amazing for Serena to come back. But I think she said a few days ago I read that she she she's not she doesn't have plans. At least that's what what she said publicly. But I would say that we have an incredible incredible array of athletes on the WTA tour. We have amazing diversity. We have you know the top seven athletes highest paid athletes in the world. They are some of the most of my most recognized athletes that global influences. They are incredible fund bases. And what I really love about the WTA tour is just the sheer diversity that our athletes bring. You know their role models their diverse role models that represent so many different nationalities different backgrounds different age groups. And I think that's probably our biggest strength I would say. And I personally and I can speak for Matt here love watching it too. Hey Marina just super quickly. We have less than a minute. But there have been rumors maybe the Saudis circling around the Grand Slams trying to put together their own sort of venture that takes up women's tennis. Is this a moment of kind of like existential concern for the sport. Look right now the moment that I'm most excited about is this moment right now. We are here celebrating the largest partnership in the WTA's history is a moment that really shows how far we've come but also the potential that we have ahead is one that we are celebrating today. And as I said I think we have a brilliant future. And you know we're incredibly excited.

The U.S. military seized a large oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the ship had been used to violate sanctions on oil from Venezuela and Iran.

Washington

U.S. seizes oil tanker off Venezuela coast

The daughter of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on her mother's behalf in Oslo, Norway. Machado, who lives in hiding in Venezuela, is set to make an address on Thursday.

Oslo

Venezuela's Machado awarded Nobel Peace Prize in absentia

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is commenting on potential elections in Ukraine under certain conditions. Former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst joins CBS News with more on the war against Russia.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Zelenskyy prepared to hold elections after Trump questions motive

A renewed outbreak of fighting between Thailand and Cambodia has derailed a US-brokered peace agreement, with cross-border shelling and air raids forcing more than half a million civilians to flee their homes.

Bangkok

Border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia flares up again

U.S. immigration agents used pepper spray against protesters in Minneapolis on Tuesday as residents blocked the officers’ vehicles and forced them to leave the area.

Minneapolis

Minneapolis protests erupt over ICE operation targeting Somalis

In Australia, millions of kids' social media profiles are going dark, as the country's new social media ban takes effect for anyone under 16. Jo Ling Kent reports.

Canberra

Australia's social media ban takes effect for kids under 16

President Trump, in recent months, has dismissed concerns about affordability, but this evening, in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, he is focusing on the crisis and touting his administration's efforts to lower the cost of living. Nancy Cordes has more.

Pennsylvania

Trump tries to flip the script on affordability

Dozens of protesters blocked a highway near Tel Aviv to demonstrate against moves by the Israeli government to force some ultra-Orthodox Jews into mandatory military service, something they are currently exempt from so they can study the Torah full time.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Bill over ultra-Orthodox military conscription sparks protests in Israel

President Trump has told Politico that Nicolas Maduro's "days are numbered" in Venezuela. Political strategists Kevin Sheridan and Hyma Moore join with analysis.

Trump says Maduro’s “days are numbered”

The FBI has released a new photo of former Olympian Ryan Wedding, whom the bureau’s director has described as a “modern day iteration of Pablo Escobar.” The ex-skier and snowboarder remains at large as agents continue their search.

FBI releases new photo of alleged drug kingpin Ryan Wedding

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Pope Leo XIV and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Tuesday (December 9), meanwhile voicing his refusal to surrender territory to Moscow despite pressure from Washington for territorial concessions.

Rome

Zelenskyy seeks backing from Pope Leo XIV, Italian PM Meloni

A federal judge said Tuesday (December 9) that the Department of Justice can unseal the Ghislaine Maxwell sex trafficking case records. CBS News' Scott MacFarlane has more details.

Judge says DOJ can unseal Ghislaine Maxwell trafficking case records

Prosecutors on Monday (December 8) released new evidence seized from Luigi Mangione on the day of his arrest. He is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson a year ago and has pleaded not guilty.

Manhattan

New evidence introduced in Luigi Mangione case

The EU antitrust enforcer has opened an investigation into the U.S. tech giant over its use of online content to power its AI services, a move that threatens to ratchet up transatlantic relations.

Brussels

EU Commission opens probe into Google over AI

The U.S. government said the approval, which comes in exchange for a 25% surcharge, would also be available to other chipmakers like Intel and AMD.

Trump gives Nvidia green light to sell H200 chips to China

Ukraine is set to present a revised peace plan to the United States on Tuesday following President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s talks in London with the leaders of France, Germany, and Britain.

London

Ukraine to share revised peace plan with U.S., Zelenskiy says

The International Criminal Court Tuesday handed down a sentence of 20 years to a Sudanese militia leader for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the country's civil war two decades ago.

ICC sentences Sudan militia chief for crimes against humanity

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday (December 8) unveiled a $12 billion aid package for American farmers, the latest government effort to shore up a key political constituency hurt by the financial fallout from his trade policies.

Trump unveils $12 billion aid package for farmers hit by trade war

Thailand and Cambodia are blaming one another for starting a deadly exchange of fire that killed at least five people and threatens to unravel a U.S.-backed ceasefire between the neighbouring southeast Asian countries.

Surin

Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire could be unravelling

Paramount Skydance made a hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery for $108 billion US just days after Netflix announced it made a $72-billion US deal with the legacy studio. It’s a move that even has U.S. President Donald Trump weighing in.

Hollywood

Paramount launches hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros.

President Trump announced Monday he will allow Nvidia to sell its advanced H200 computer chips to "approved customers" in China, but Mr. Trump said the deal does not include Nvidia's more advanced Blackwell system or its soon-to-be-released Rubin system.

Trump says he's letting Nvidia sell some AI chips to China

Ukraine's European allies put on a show of support for President Volodymyr Zelensky Monday as they expressed scepticism about parts of the U.S. proposal to end the war with Russia. The discussions came after President Donald Trump accused Zelensky of not reading his administration's proposal on a deal to end Russia's invasion following almost four years of war.

Downing Street

European allies back Zelensky after Trump criticism

A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake shook northeastern Japan late on Monday (December 8), prompting orders for about 90,000 residents to evacuate and tsunami warnings that hours later were downgraded to advisories.

Aomori

7.5-magnitude earthquake strikes Japan's northeast

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday (December 8) that unity between Europe, Ukraine and the U.S. was important when negotiating an end to Russia's war in Ukraine. He made the remark during a visit to London.

Kyiv stresses European unity as allies 'skeptical' of U.S. peace plan

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European allies prepared to hold talks in London on Monday (December 8), after President Donald Trump accused him of not reading the U.S. proposal to end the war with Russia.

Zelenskyy to meet European allies after Trump criticism

Thailand has launched airstrikes on Cambodian military sites as renewed border violence threatens a U.S.-backed peace deal.

Renewed border violence threatens Thai-Cambodia peace

South African authorities have withdrawn a 90-day visa exemption for Palestinians, saying the recent arrival of a charter flight with 153 people onboard was part of a campaign of “forced migration.”

Johannesburg

Middle East Conflict

South Africa withdraws 90-days visa exemption for Palestinians

Chinese and Japanese ties came under further strain after a Chinese fighter aircraft trained fire-control radar on Japanese military jets for the first time.

Okinawa

Chinese fighter jet locks radar on Japan planes

A military coup declared in Benin on Sunday has failed, the country’s interior minister said, just hours after soldiers took over state television to announce the dissolution of government.

Porto-Novo

Benin coup attempt thwarted by soldiers loyal to Republic

Hong Kong's citizens were voting on Sunday in an election where the focus is on turnout, with residents grieving and traumatized after the city's worst fire in nearly 80 years and the authorities scrambling to avoid a broader public backlash.

Breakdown