The Singapore Tennis Open Welcomes WTA Stars Ahead of the Tournament
Published on 20 Sep 2026
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SINGAPORE, 20 September 2026 – Sport met style and heritage at Hilton Singapore Orchard on Sunday evening, as some of the world’s leading women’s tennis players gathered for the Singapore Tennis Open presented by BNP Paribas Players’ Welcome Party.
Kicking off a week of world-class tennis in Singapore, the evening was a celebration of the players at the heart of the tournament and the ability of tennis to unite communities across countries and cultures. WTA players and officials were joined by representatives from The Kallang Group, Sport Singapore, Singapore Tourism Board, Singapore Tennis Association, BNP Paribas and tournament partners.
With players travelling from around the world, the evening also gave them an opportunity to experience the culture and heritage of their host city, including donning Peranakan Nonya kebayas from The Intan, which specialises in Peranakan culture.
The celebration set the tone for a week designed to bring players, fans and the wider community together through tennis. Following its inaugural edition in 2025, the Singapore Tennis Open returns this year, elevated from a WTA 250 to a WTA 500, bringing a stronger player field to Singapore. As the opening tournament of the WTA Asian Swing, the Singapore Tennis Open is Southeast Asia’s only WTA 500-level event and one of 17 tournaments at this level globally.
Yazed Osman, Co-Tournament Director of Singapore Tennis Open 2026 and Group Head, Events & Placemaking and Place Management, The Kallang Group said, “Tonight marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the Singapore Tennis Open. When we brought the tournament to Singapore last year, our ambition was to establish it as a key fixture on the international tennis calendar. The tournament’s elevation to WTA 500 status this year is an important milestone. Beyond hosting a world-class competition, we have curated interactive fan activities and accessible community experiences across the precinct. The Kallang is a natural home for tennis, and supports the continued growth of tennis in Singapore. We look forward to welcoming players and fans to The Kallang for an unforgettable week of tennis and shared experiences.”
WTA stars ready to ace it in Singapore
Mirra Andreeva, current world no. 5 and the tournament’s top seed said, “It has been so fun exploring and experiencing the city over the past few days. It's always great to come to a tournament for the first time so I'm excited to meet the fans and ready to get on court to play my best!"
For Alexandra Eala, the Singapore Tennis Open marks a return to familiar ground. The Filipina star first competed here as an 11-year-old at the WTA Future Stars tournament in 2016, played in the qualifying rounds of the inaugural Singapore Tennis Open in 2025 and is back this year as the most highly ranked Southeast Asian player of all time.
Eala shared: “Playing in Singapore is always special. I have fond memories of competing here when I was younger and playing in the region I call home makes this tournament even more meaningful. It has been a year of growth and a lot of learnings on the tour for me, so I am excited to kick off the Asian Swing at The Kallang and soak in all the great energy from the fans!”
Putting Singapore on the international sporting stage
As the Singapore Tennis Open welcomes leading players and tennis fans, the tournament also adds to Singapore’s growing calendar of international sporting events and experiences.
Mr Daryl Yeo, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Development), Sport Singapore, said, “We are excited to be building an annual festival of tennis around the Singapore Tennis Open. Alongside the WTA 500 and its world-class field, we are also staging the WT Asia 12U Team Competition and the Singapore Tennis Invitational Cup. Bringing these competitions together gives our young athletes the opportunity to test themselves against some of the region’s best, while gaining valuable exposure to world-class tennis. We hope these experiences will inspire and motivate them to continue developing their game and pursuing their aspirations in the sport.”
Ms Lilian Chee, Director, Sports, Singapore Tourism Board, said, “We are delighted to welcome back the Singapore Tennis Open, which brings together some of the world's best players from the WTA Tour. The WTA 500-level event reinforces Singapore’s reputation as a premier sporting destination, and we look forward to the excitement it will generate for fans in Singapore and across the region. Beyond the on-court action and vibrant fan zone, we hope visiting fans will take the opportunity to explore Singapore and discover the breadth of dining, entertainment and retail experiences the city has to offer.”
Complementing the on-court action, the Singapore Tennis Open serves as a platform for advancing conversations that shape the future of sport. In partnership with The Collective, the global authority on women as athletes, artists, consumers, and fans across sports and music, The Kallang Group will introduce The Kallang Spotlight: Singapore Tennis Open presented by BNP Paribas – Powered by The Collective on 21 September, a forum that brings together infl uential leaders, athletes and changemakers to share perspectives on leadership, inclusion and the future of women's sport. As an extension of the tournament, this reflects The Kallang Group’s ambition to create distinctive experiences by convening thought leaders within the industry, building The Kallang into a brand that goes beyond being just a destination. Following this inaugural edition, future iterations of The Kallang Spotlight will be developed in line with other events organised by The Kallang Group.
Be part of the tennis takeover of The Kallang
The tournament features a 28-player Singles Draw and 16-team Doubles Draw, with players competing for a share of US$1.2 million in prize money.
The Main Draw action kicks off on 21 September, 11:00am (UTC+08:00) at OCBC Arena at The Kallang. More on the matchups can be found here.
Fans and members of the public can be a part of the precinct-wide celebration of tennis, with opportunities to experience player meet-and-greets, tennis clinics with The Kallang’s tennis ambassadors, interactive fan activities and free live screenings of selected matches across the fan zone. More on these experiences can be found here.
For fans who wish to catch the live action in the comfort of their homes, StarHub will bring comprehensive coverage of the tournament to screens across Singapore, while meWATCH will stream selected matches from the tournament.
Tickets, including premium hospitality experiences at ACES Club, are available via here, with limited weekday tickets remaining.