From Grand Slams to Singapore: The Rise of Women’s Tennis in Asia
Published On 09 Sep 2026
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In 2018, the tennis world was introduced to Japan’s Naomi Osaka as she defeated her childhood idol and tennis great, Serena Williams, in the US Open final to become the first Japanese Grand Slam singles champion.
The hard-court specialist built on her breakthrough by winning more Grand Slam titles and becoming the first Asian player to reach world No. 1 in the WTA rankings. Her success on and off the court quickly made her a global cultural icon, attracting major endorsement deals, as she set the record for the highest single-year earnings by a female athlete with US$37.4 million in 2020.
Recently retired Taiwanese great Latisha Chan also established herself as one of Asia's finest doubles players, reaching world No. 1 and winning the 2017 US Open alongside Switzerland's Martina Hingis in the 2017 season. She added three mixed doubles Grand Slam titles with Ivan Dodig and finished her illustrious career with 33 WTA doubles titles.
Tennis Ambassadors Yayuk Basuki (Left) and Tamarine Tanasugarn (Right) hosting the Singapore Tennis Open 2025 tennis clinic.
Closer to home, Thai trailblazer Tamarine Tanasugarn cemented her status as the benchmark for women's tennis in Thailand, having reached a career-high world No. 19 in singles, the highest ranking ever achieved by a Thai woman, while also breaking into the world's top 20 in doubles.
Four-time Olympian Yayuk Basuki remains Indonesia's highest-ever ranked player (No.19 in singles) and made history by winning the women's singles gold medal at the 1998 Asian Games, defeating Tamarine in the final, in a career that helped put her country on the map.
Growth of Women’s Tennis in Asia
Then came breakout star Zheng Qinwen, who, like compatriot and former world No. 2 Li Na before her, inspired a nation by winning a historic Olympic singles gold medal after defeating Donna Vekic in the final on Court Philippe-Chatrier at Roland Garros in the summer of 2024.
Today, the region is producing a new generation of Asian women's tennis stars.
Alexandra Eala prepares to serve during her qualifying match against Simona Waltert at the Singapore Tennis Open 2025.
Rising talents closer to home, such as Filipina phenom Alexandra Eala, who is set to compete at the Singapore Tennis Open (STO) in September, and Indonesian standout Janice Tjen, are also poised to inspire the sport's continued growth across the region.
It is no surprise, then, that the 2024 Global Tennis Report by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), now known as World Tennis, found Asia to have the world's largest tennis-playing population, with 35.3 million players accounting for 33.4% of all tennis participants globally.
Why More Global Tournaments Are Being Hosted in the Region
With increased attention on the women’s game across the region, more tournaments have also naturally established themselves in Asia.
Singapore was among the first on board, hosting the WTA Finals between 2014 and 2018, before China took the mantle, with the high-tech megacity of Shenzhen hosting the showpiece in 2019. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, the tournament was cancelled in 2020 and had to find alternative hosting sites from 2020 to 2023.
Annually, the post-US Open season also sees the WTA tour enter its Asian swing.
With the Slams out of the way, players turn their sights to attractive prize purses and valuable ranking points heading into the season-ending championships, while giving Asia’s tennis-hungry fans a taste of world-class tennis action.
In return, fans give tennis stars the rockstar treatment with sold-out crowds. The WTA 1000 China Open is a prime example, with bustling fan and food zones complementing the state-of-the-art facilities at Beijing’s National Tennis Centre.
September’s STO, upgraded from a WTA 250 to a WTA 500 event, is likely to be a big draw for the circuit’s top players, with the champion set to earn 500 ranking points, up from 250 under its previous status.
The tournament sits just below the premier WTA 1000 competitions and the Slams, and is crucial in offering up-and-coming or mid-level players a shot at progression or breakthrough performances.
The 2025 edition already featured an impressive line-up that included former US Open champion Emma Raducanu, former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, then-world No. 14 Anna Kalinskaya and eventual singles champion Elise Mertens.
The regional Singapore Tennis Invitational Cup (STIC) ran alongside the main event, with representatives from Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Singapore competing for ASEAN glory.
Singapore’s men’s doubles pair Daniel Abadia and Michael Dylan Jimenez celebrate their cup-clinching victory over Indonesia at the 2025 Singapore Tennis Invitational Cup (STIC).
Filipina Sensation Eala to Star in STO 2026
Alexandra Eala shakes hands with Simona Waltert at the Singapore Tennis Open 2025.
With world No. 18 Alexandra Eala confirming her participation in this year’s competition, fans will get the chance to watch the rising star up close as she continues to rewrite Philippine tennis history. Most recently, she became the first Filipino player to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam after beating 2025 Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek in straight sets.
The SEA Games and Asian Games medallist has been flying her nation’s flag high on the world stage and, together with world No. 36 Tjen, has highlighted the potential of Southeast Asian players on the premier circuit. The pair even teamed up at the Abu Dhabi Open in February, reaching the semifinals.
Eala first made headlines for her breakthrough run at the 2025 Miami Open. Entering the tournament as a wildcard, the left-handed baseliner upset Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek to advance to the semifinals, where she eventually lost to Jessica Pegula.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Youth tennis players at the Singapore Tennis Open Tennis Clinic.
The Quezon City native’s continued growth since then has not only placed her in the spotlight but also put her country on the map.
With the “Eala effect” set to arrive on Singapore’s shores, her ever-growing global following will likely descend upon the OCBC Arena this September.
And seeing players like them up close can go a long way toward inspiring younger players picking up a racket.
In January, the WTA’s latest addition, the Philippine Women’s Open, gave Eala the chance to compete in front of a home crowd in Manila at the country’s first-ever WTA 125 event.
Ahead of the tournament, Eala emphasised the importance of such a stop on the WTA calendar, saying that the event would offer local audiences exposure to a high level of competitive tennis.
Having competed at the WTA Future Stars event in Singapore a decade ago, Eala added that having an event like the Singapore Tennis Open would likely have motivated her as a junior had it existed back then.
And with the Singapore Tennis Open now bigger and better, local fans, especially young players, can draw fresh inspiration from the circuit’s top competitors and set bold dreams of their own to chase.
Catch the Action Live at The Kallang!
Fans eagerly watching the tennis match at the Singapore Tennis Open 2025.
The future of women’s tennis is rising across Asia — and Singapore is set to welcome one of its brightest young stars.
Watch the stellar player field in action at the Singapore Tennis Open 2026! From Grand Slam Champions Barbora Krejčíková and Mirra Andreeva, to the brightest rising stars Alexandra Eala, fans are going to be treated to a week of fantastic tennis action.
Meet Asian tennis legends Latisha Chan, Tamarine Tanasugarn and Yayuk Basuki, who will serve as the tournament's ambassadors.
Happening from 21 to 27 September at the OCBC Arena, the tournament offers fans the chance to experience world-class tennis up close — with a new generation of stars on court and legends of the game sharing their expertise beyond it.
Get your tickets now and be part of the action.
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