WTA finals in Singapore will promote tennis in Southeast Asia
- Singapore won the hosting rights of the season-ending prestigious WTA finals in 2014 for a period of five years
- The WTA Finals will witness tennis' most exciting women's stars - top eight singles players and top 8 doubles teams
FollowSingapore is fast becoming the sporting hub of the Asia-Pacific region and hosting the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) finals in the Lion City was part of WTA's wider strategy to promote the game within the region.
Singapore won the hosting rights of the season-ending prestigious WTA finals in 2014 for a period of five years and WTA's regional vice-president Melissa Pine feels the Lion City has all that is needed to stage a mega sporting event.
When WTA announced that Singapore would be the new host of the WTA Finals, the aim was to increase the presence of the sport in the region. Since Singapore is a fantastic gateway into Southeast Asia, there is a huge potential to reach out to the community.
"When selecting a new location for a tournament there are several factors in play. The WTA Tour consists of 56 tournaments in the season so we have to see how each location fits on the calendar. The location must also have the infrastructure in terms of adequate courts, player facilities and more to support a tournament. Additionally, it is important to have the support of partners who share the same vision. Singapore ticked all these boxes," Pine told PTI.
"What drove this desire to change was the fact that we saw such a huge potential in the region to grow the sport and make a lasting impression," added Pine, who is also the Tournament Director of the WTA Finals.
The WTA Finals will witness tennis' most exciting women's stars - top eight singles players and top 8 doubles teams - fight it out for USD 7 million prize money from October 23-30 at the state-of-the-art Singapore Sports Hub here.
Singapore Tourism Board (STB) Director of Sports, Jean Ng said the Lion City is proud to hosts some of the world-class sporting events which also includes the famous Singapore Grand Prix. Singapore also hosted the inaugural F1 night race which is conducted on the first street circuit in Asia.
"We are keen to further develop sports tourism as it promotes economic development by generating tourism spend, creating business and job opportunities, and growing the sports business ecosystem," she said.
"Sporting events offer us an opportunity to develop compelling content and programming that draws locals and visitors, while creating a greater affinity for Singapore," the STB's director of sports added.
