Chennai Comes Alive Again with the Chennai Open Women’s International Tennis Championship – a WTA 250 Event

India, Tamil Nadu, October 17th 2025: Three years have rolled by since the last WTA 250 event was held in Chennai and the iconic SDAT Tennis Stadium is now coming alive once again. A gentle breeze of excitement and anticipation fills the air as the second edition of the Chennai Open International Women’s Tennis Championship, the highest ever international ranking event to be held in India, takes place from on Monday, 27th October 2025, Sunday, 2nd November 2025.

The previous edition’s winner, 20-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova of Czech Republic will be joined by the remarkable Tatjana Maria of Germany, a mother of two, who is the top seed of the tournament.

Also, to be seen in action will be world #69 Donna Vekić of Croatia, a former Wimbledon semi-finalist and Olympic silver medallist, along with Lulu Sun of New Zealand, who reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals last year with her never-say-die attitude. In addition to the above, rising stars on the women’s tour including 19-year-old Nikola Bartunkova (Czech Republic), 21-year-old Maria Timofeeva (Russia), and 21-year-old Barbora Palicova (Czech Republic) will also be seen in action. Players from 20 countries will compete fiercely, seeking crucial ranking points to prepare for the 2026 season. India’s Karman Kaur Thandi, who reached the second round in the last edition in 2022, is a direct entrant into the qualifying draw.

In the doubles event, Storm Hunter of Australia and Monica Niculescu of Romania will be the top seeds while the all-Indonesian pair of Aldila Sutjiadi and Janice Tjen are the second seeds. There will be plenty of interest for local fans as there are 5 Indian players in the doubles main draw – Ankita Raina partnering Shrivalli Bhamidipaty; Rutuja Bhosale playing with Riya Bhatia; and Prarthana Thombare who will partner Arianne Hartono of the Netherlands and will be seeded fourth.

The latest main draw acceptance and qualifying lists for the event are enclosed. The tournament will be supervised by Shu Chen of China, besides other officials from India and abroad, ensuring smooth conduct of matches. More than 200 persons – officials, line umpires, ball persons, volunteers, and ushers will be involved in the successful running of the event.

Spectators will also enjoy a unique off-court experience: displays of the latest vehicles including a Leyland bus, Toyota car, and TVS two-wheeler, along with food stalls and entertainment zones. It is rare to experience products from such world-renowned companies in one venue within a few metres’ space. To ensure comfort, ample covered area has been arranged to shelter spectators in case of rain. The courts have been newly re-laid to international standards, with matches scheduled daily from 3:00 pm onwards. The organisers TNTA have made adequate arrangements in terms of equipment and manpower for drying the courts so that the game commences within an hour of stoppage of any rain during the week.

Speaking about the Sponsors & Partners; “The Government of Tamil Nadu has taken many sustained initiatives to promote and develop all sports in a big way in the state which is paying rich dividends. I congratulate the Government of Tamil Nadu for being the best among states in India in this area. Support of Government of Tamil Nadu has been crucial, with a grant of Rs.10 crores, complemented by sponsorship from several leading Indian companies, including many Chennai-based organizations. The names are Bajaj Finserv, Ashok Leyland, TITAN, GMR Sport, TVS Motor company, Indian Overseas Bank and Indian Bank. There are contributions from Chenani Petroleum Company Limited, Catholic Syrian Bank and Thomas Cook and Prestige developers. The list of partners includes Apollo Hospitals- medical, Lanson Toyota – Mobility, ACT- Fibernet, ITC Hotels – hospitality partner, Bisleri – hydration, AVT- beverage, and Go colours – Fashion. This strong backing has enabled TNTA to once again stage a world-class event, ensuring a memorable week for players, officials, spectators, and sponsors alike. The event will be telecast on Eurosport and our own national channel – Doordarshan”

The event, owned by Octagon, an internationally reputed sports management company, is likely to remain in Chennai for years to come, further cementing the city’s place on the global tennis map.

While addressing the press in presence of Dr. Atulya Misra IAS, Meganathan Reddy IAS, B Venkatesh, Honorary Secretary TNTA and Vivek Reddy Hon. Treasurer, TNTA. Vijay Amritraj, President TNTA and Chairman Organising committee underlined the importance of conducting the highest international ranking tournament in Tamil Nadu and in India when he said, “All of us are aware how important it is to get such a huge tournament to India and without any doubt Chennai with its rich tennis history and a magnificent stadium is the best place in the country to be the host city. As I have said many times before such an event is hugely imperative for the development of Indian Tennis Players and Promotion of Tennis – a chance for many to see live action and an opportunity for players to savour the experience of playing against the best and prove their mettle on home soil with home support. Such an event boosts training and tournament activity in the state, which augurs well for the game.

In addition, it puts Chennai on a high pedestal amongst international cities around the world, which in turn attracts investment and tourism ensuring that the economy of the state continues to grow and develop. TNTA has worked in cooperative manner with Octagon to bring this tournament to India from Mexico. We are indebted to them and the WTA in enabling the process.

The Chennai Open is unique in many ways. First, the strong support of the Government of Tamil Nadu and SDAT, combined with contributions from both private and public sector sponsors, is a rare and heartening phenomenon. Next, the warmth of Chennai’s hospitality has made players look forward to returning to this event year after year. With exciting tennis, world-class players, and even off-court attractions such as the display of a new bus, car, and bike this is an event no one would want to miss.

I express my immense gratitude to the support, dynamism and enthusiasm of the Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minster and Sports Minster of Tamil Nadu, Thiru Udhayanidhi Stalin, Dr.Atulya Misra IAS, Additional Chief Secretary and the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports Development, Thiru J Meghanatha Reddy IAS, Member Secretary SDAT and his department and for sprucing up the stadium and their co-operation. I am thankful to each one of our sponsors and partners for their generous and spontaneous participation.

As TNTA celebrates its 100th year, we also recall the glorious history of tennis – the tournaments, the players not just in Chennai but across Tamil Nadu’s districts. I am confident that the sport-loving public of Chennai will turn up in large numbers throughout the week and make this tournament perhaps the very best of its kind in the world.”

Dr. Atulya Misra, I.A.S, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs and Sports Government of Tamil Nadu remarked: “Government of Tamil Nadu and my department have always supported the conduct of international events in all sports. This the Chennai open International Women’s Tennis tournament will be a source of inspiration to all our budding tennis players and athletes. The fact that players like Linda and Tatjana are returning to Chennai speaks highly of the warmth of the Chennai hospitality and Chennai spectators. The Stadium facilities have been upgraded to meet the challenges of staging a mega international event. TNTA has proved to be an able association having conducted such events successfully in the past. I congratulate TNTA on its 100th year and wish them all success for the conduct of this major event the highest international ranking event to be held in India and for the future.”

About WTA

The WTA is the original game-changer for women’s sport. Founded in 1973 by the visionary Billie Jean King, the WTA was created to build equal opportunities for women in tennis, and we’ve been breaking boundaries ever since. Today we’re the powerhouse of women’s professional sports, uniting athletes in fearless competition and bringing people together through the love of tennis. The Hologic WTA Tour shares the thrill of every serve, rally and match point with an audience of more than one billion around the world. Players compete for PIF WTA ranking points in tournament arenas on six continents before the season hits its peak at the WTA Finals, where the best singles and doubles superstars battle to be crowned as year-end champions. Our ambitions go well beyond the court. We are champions for our 1,600 incredible athletes and drivers of change through advocacy and action for women’s health and empowerment across the globe. Rally the world: wtatennis.com

About Octagon:

The Octagon logo symbolizes strength, unity, and versatility. The eight sides represent the eight core values that form the foundation of our brand: integrity, discipline, passion, teamwork, resilience, innovation, respect, and excellence. The geometric precision of the octagon conveys balance and structure, while its continuous lines reflect the flow and energy of sport and performance. This modern yet timeless design reinforces our commitment to pushing boundaries while staying grounded in our principles. It’s a popular choice for businesses seeking to convey these qualities, particularly in industries like construction, finance, and technology. Octagon logos are versatile, with options for minimalist or intricate designs, and can be customized with various colors, fonts, and symbols to match a brand’s identity.

About SDAT:

The Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu is the official sports organ of the Government of Tamil Nadu. Its role is to promote sports and physical fitness throughout the State, utilizing resources drawn from Government, Sports Associations, sports minded philanthropists, institutions and anyone committed to sports and physical fitness.

In this endeavour, the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu focuses its attention on:

• Providing opportunities for talent identification
• To Develop identified talent to excellence at State, National and International levels
• Bringing in a competition culture throughout the State in order to promote physical fitness, talent identification, competitiveness and brotherhood
• Establishing sports infrastructure and encouraging the same in the private arena to suit a wide range of requirements – from community level sports meets to that of international competitions.
• To develop appropriate coaching methods through coaching clinics, workshops, courses in India and abroad so as to ensure that correct techniques are taught at the learning stage and appropriate techniques towards international performances are in line with research-based advancements abroad.

About TNTA:

The Tamil Nadu Tennis Association, celebrating its 100th year of existence as an institution which, promotes and administers the game of Tennis in Tamil Nadu. TNTA is recognised as the official body for the game of Tennis in the state by the Tamil Nadu Government, the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu, Tamil Nadu Olympic Association and the All-India Tennis Association. TNTA was associated with the conduct of the only ATP 250 event held in Southeast Asia for two decades and a WTA 250 in 2022. Besides, TNTA runs its own Coaching Centres and conducts premier tennis tournaments for various categories and levels on annually over decades – National U18 Claycourt championships, 2 ITF Junior events, AITA and State Ranking events for Men and Women, Seniors, and Wheelchair Tennis.