WTA Chennai Open 2026 final postponed due to poor air quality
(Courtesy : Twitter)
Finalist and reigning champion Janice Tjen slammed organisers for wanting to conduct the final despite the poor AQI currently in Chennai
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The WTA Chennai Open 2026 singles final has been pushed back by a day and will now be played on Monday, November 9 at 11 AM IST.
The match is between top seed and defending champion Janice Tjen and third seed Magda Linette, and the contest was earlier scheduled to be held on Sunday afternoon at the SDAT Tennis Stadium.
Rain, however, spoiled the party. The skies opened soon after the doubles final ended. Staff managed to dry the main court once, but the rain returned, and the court was still in poor condition after it was prepared again.
Court visibility was not good enough for play to commence and hence, the start time had been pushed back more than once before the final call.
Diwali celebrations added to the woes as heavy smoke from the festival’s fireworks later engulfed the stadium, which prevented the final from getting underway.
The Italian outlet Ubitennis reported that the smoke made the match impossible regardless of the rain. Firecracker noise can also break a player’s focus, which is a worry for any match played in near silence.
The delay was an embarrassment for Indian organisers and fans, with the final scheduled on a festival day. This is also the Chennai Open’s last edition in India. The tournament moves to Manila in 2027, as Alexandra Eala’s fan base has grown. Indian racket sports have faced criticism before.
At January’s India Open, bird droppings interrupted a match twice and players called the conditions “unhealthy.” World No. 3 Anders Antonsen withdrew citing “extreme” air pollution. Such episodes raise doubts about India’s readiness for big events, including its 2036 Olympic ambitions.
Tjen reached a second straight final by beating Robin Montgomery 6-3, 6-4 in the semi-finals. Linette, on the other hand, came back from a set down to defeat Anastasia Zakharova, and is bidding for a fourth WTA singles title.
The Pole lost the 2022 final here to Linda Fruhvirtova and will be aiming to go one better this time around.
Why was the women’s singles final postponed at Chennai Open 2026?
The women’s singles was postponed due to poor conditions and hazardous air quality at the venue in Chennai.
When will the women’s singles final take place at Chennai Open 2026?
The rescheduled final will be played on November 9 (Monday) around 11 am local time.
How did the players react to the postponement of the Chennai Open 1026 final?
Reigning champion and top seed Janice Tjen slammed the organisers for wanting to conduct the final despite the poor AQI currently in Chennai.
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