Chennai, Nov 3:
The weather could once again become a major talking point at the WTA 250 Chennai Open, with rain and thunderstorms threatening to disrupt the tournament as it gets underway at the SDAT Tennis Stadium in Nungambakkam. The third edition of the Chennai Open, which runs from November 2 to 8, will also mark the final staging of the WTA Tour event in the city before its relocation to the Philippines next year.
The threat of rain is not unfamiliar to the organisers. The opening two days of last year’s tournament were affected by adverse weather, and the current northeast monsoon has raised similar concerns. The India Meteorological Department has forecast thunderstorms and lightning over Chennai on Monday and Tuesday, adding uncertainty to the opening rounds. A cyclonic system over the Bay of Bengal has further complicated the weather outlook.
The tournament features Indonesian World No. 47 Janice Tjen, the defending champion, and Austrian World No. 53 Lilli Tagger as the top two seeds. However, none of the Indian players secured direct entry into the main draw on the basis of their rankings. Vaishnavi Adkar, Sahaja Yamalapalli and Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi have received wildcards and will carry the country’s hopes in the singles competition.
Vaishnavi, India’s highest-ranked player in the draw at No. 334, acknowledged the challenge of competing against higher-ranked international opponents. She said players at the WTA Tour level would need greater physical and mental resilience, as rallies tend to be longer and opponents return more balls. Sahaja and Maaya will also look to make the most of the opportunity to compete against an international field on home soil.
The final edition carries significance beyond the competition itself. India will lose its WTA 250 tournament slot to the Philippines, where rising star Alexandra Eala has helped generate growing interest in women’s tennis. Indian tennis legend and Tamil Nadu Tennis Association president Vijay Amritraj has said that the decision was understandable, citing Chennai’s monsoon conditions and the difficulty of attracting a stronger international field. The association is now exploring the possibility of hosting three or four WTA 125 tournaments in India during January and February 2028, providing domestic players with more opportunities to earn ranking points.
For the organisers, the immediate challenge will be to keep the tournament on schedule while managing the unpredictable weather. The edition will also introduce electronic line calling across all three match courts for the first time in the tournament’s history. With the final WTA 250 edition in Chennai underway, players and organisers will hope that the weather allows the city to give the tournament a fitting farewell.