On Sunday evening, the international tennis world arrived in Singapore not on a court, but in the elegant surroundings of Hilton Singapore Orchard, where WTA stars gathered for the Singapore Tennis Open presented by BNP Paribas Players’ Welcome Party.

There were familiar elements of a major sporting event; tournament officials, sponsors, athletes and sporting leaders, but there was also something distinctly Singaporean about the evening. Players who had travelled from across the world were invited to experience a slice of the city’s cultural heritage, donning Peranakan Nonya kebayas from The Intan, the Peranakan cultural specialist.

It was an apt introduction to a tournament that is increasingly about more than what happens between the lines. The Singapore Tennis Open, now entering its second edition, has been elevated from a WTA 250 to a WTA 500. As the opening tournament of the WTA Asian Swing, it is Southeast Asia’s only WTA 500-level event and one of just 17 tournaments at that level globally.

For the players, however, the attraction is not simply the ranking points, prize money or prestige. It is also the experience of being in Singapore, a city that, for several of the tournament’s stars, feels surprisingly familiar.

For Alexandra Eala, that sense of familiarity runs particularly deep. The Filipina star has been coming to Singapore since she was a child. She first competed here at the WTA Future Stars tournament as an 11-year-old in 2016, returned for qualifying at the inaugural Singapore Tennis Open in 2025, and now arrives as the highest-ranked Southeast Asian player of all time. “It’s such a good feeling to have that familiar cultural aspect, and even down to the weather, it’s very similar to home, so I feel really at home,” Eala said.

Coming back as a top seed, she described the moment as a kind of full circle. “It’s been an amazing year and a half and I’m grateful for everything that’s happened to me since then. I’m grateful for the growth.”

That growth is visible in the tournament itself, too. A year after competing in qualifying at the event’s inaugural WTA 250 edition, Eala is now part of a stronger WTA 500 field, a change that mirrors the rapid development of her own career.

And while Singapore may be a professional destination, Eala’s memories of the city stretch far beyond the current tournament. “I’ve had so many memories of competing specifically here in Singapore. I’ve been competing here ever since I think I was eight, and I’ve come back a lot because it’s in the region and it’s been a hub for tennis and competitive tennis,” she said. “To relive, I guess, or to be back here for competition at this level, it’s really nice to see. Like I said, it’s full circle because I’ve been coming here for such a long time.”

For Eala, the appeal of this particular stop on the tour is also about geography and community. She acknowledges that she may be biased, but being back in Southeast Asia makes the experience special. “It’s definitely up there and I might be biased because we’re in Southeast Asia. I do love that, but they’ve just been so welcoming and so nice and so hospitable, so I’m really happy to be back.”

That regional connection is shared by Wang Xinyu, who has her own relationship with Singapore. For the Chinese player, the city has become a place associated not only with tennis but with personal memories, including spending Chinese New Year here last year. “Playing the tournament and also spending Chinese New Year here last year was really, really special,” Wang said. “Singapore to me, it always feels like home.”

Part of that feeling comes from the support she receives. “I get amazing support here and I get a lot of love, and I have a lot of friends who are also living here, so I’m really happy just to be back here.”

That support has translated directly into the stands. Wang recalled the atmosphere during last year’s tournament, when the crowd turned out in force for both her singles and doubles matches. “Last year for my singles match and also for our doubles match, I had a full-packed stadium, so I’m really grateful for that.”

It is precisely that kind of connection between international athletes and regional fans that organisers hope will define the Singapore Tennis Open. Yazed Osman, Co-Tournament Director of the Singapore Tennis Open 2026 and Group Head, Events & Placemaking and Place Management at The Kallang Group, said the tournament’s elevation to WTA 500 status represents an important new chapter. “When we brought the tournament to Singapore last year, our ambition was to establish it as a key fixture on the international tennis calendar,” he said. “The tournament’s elevation to WTA 500 status this year is an important milestone.”

But the ambition extends beyond the professional draw. “We have curated interactive fan activities and accessible community experiences across the precinct,” Osman said. “The Kallang is a natural home for tennis, and supports the continued growth of tennis in Singapore.”

That idea of The Kallang as a destination rather than simply a venue is central to the week. From 21 September, the OCBC Arena becomes the centre of the competitive action, with a 28-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles draw competing for a share of US$1.2 million in prize money.

But outside the arena, tennis will spill into the wider precinct. Fans can meet players, take part in tennis clinics with The Kallang’s tennis ambassadors, try interactive activities and watch selected matches for free at live screenings in the fan zone.

For visitors, it creates a rather appealing proposition: spend the day exploring Singapore, eat your way around the city, shop, discover its neighbourhoods and cultural sights — and then finish the day surrounded by the energy of a major international tennis tournament.

Singapore Tourism Board Director of Sports Lilian Chee sees that broader experience as an important part of the event. “We are delighted to welcome back the Singapore Tennis Open, which brings together some of the world’s best players from the WTA Tour,” she said. “The WTA 500-level event reinforces Singapore’s reputation as a premier sporting destination.”

And there is plenty beyond the tennis for visiting fans to discover. “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,” Chee said.

For the players themselves, the city is already making an impression. Mirra Andreeva, the world No. 5 and tournament’s top seed, has spent the days before the tournament exploring Singapore and said she has enjoyed getting to know the city. “It has been so fun exploring and experiencing the city over the past few days,” Andreeva said. “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 American power player Alycia Parks, there is another reason to be excited about the week: the indoor conditions. “I feel good. It’s definitely one part of the tour that I like to come to and play,” Parks said. “I’m super excited about playing in Singapore. It’s nice here, so hopefully I have good results here.”

Parks, whose game is built around a huge serve and powerful groundstrokes, said the indoor court is particularly appealing. “It’s indoor, I love playing indoor obviously. So I’m super excited to have my results here and see how far I can take the trophy.”

The tournament also comes with a culinary bonus. Parks has already sampled some of the region’s food and admitted that it has been contributing to her good mood. “I like to eat and the food is really good here, so it puts me in a really good mood,” she said, singling out Korean barbecue and Japanese barbecue.

On court, Parks is looking to keep things simple. Rather than radically changing her game every time she arrives somewhere new, she prefers to maintain her routine and rhythm. “I try to keep the same routine,” she said. “If I’m in a good rhythm, I try not to hit too much. I don’t know, to keep my rhythm going.”

Her focus for the week is as much mental as technical. “I’ve been working on being more positive out there, keeping my fighting spirit no matter what the score is. Serve is my weapon.”

And when Parks talks about playing her best tennis, she reduces it to one word: confidence. “It’s definitely confidence. I feel on the court always.”

That confidence is also part of what brought her back to Singapore. Parks played at the tournament for the first time last year and said the decision to return was an easy one when she learned that the event had been elevated to WTA 500 level, and that it would be played indoors. “I was excited when it was 500 and it was indoors, so I definitely told myself I’m going to Singapore to play this year.”

The stories of Eala, Wang, Parks and Andreeva highlight something increasingly central to the modern sports experience: the tournament is only part of the attraction. There is the competition, certainly. There is the spectacle of seeing some of the world’s best players in action. But there is also food, fashion, culture, travel, community and the opportunity for fans to feel closer to the athletes they follow.

That philosophy extends into the tournament’s programming away from the court. On 21 September, The Kallang Group will introduce The Kallang Spotlight: Singapore Tennis Open presented by BNP Paribas — Powered by The Collective, a forum bringing together athletes, leaders and changemakers to explore leadership, inclusion and the future of women’s sport.

The initiative reflects an ambition to make The Kallang a place where sporting events can spark wider conversations, and where the identity of a tournament can stretch beyond the competition itself.

There is also a next generation being brought into the picture. Alongside the WTA 500, Sport Singapore is staging the WT Asia 12U Team Competition and the Singapore Tennis Invitational Cup, creating opportunities for young athletes to experience competitive tennis and gain exposure to players and standards from across the region.

Sport Singapore Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Development) Daryl Yeo described the vision as an annual festival of tennis. “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,” he said.

“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.”

It is a fitting ambition for a tournament that is itself growing up quickly. In just its second edition, the Singapore Tennis Open has moved up a level, attracted a stronger field and positioned itself at the beginning of the WTA’s Asian Swing. For the players, it is a new stop on the calendar; for fans, it is a chance to see global stars in a distinctly Singaporean setting.

And perhaps that is what makes the week feel different. Eala sees the value in the travel itself, with the opportunity to encounter different places and people while moving around the world. “Each tournament has its own aura and each tournament comes with pressure. I guess everyone wants to win all the time,” she said. “But it’s also fun and nice for us players to explore a little bit of different cultures.”

“I’m just happy to be able to travel around the world, happy to meet a lot of new people.”

For a tournament built around international athletes, that sense of exchange may be its most Singaporean quality of all. The players have come to compete, but they are also eating, exploring, meeting fans and experiencing a culture different from their own. Regional supporters are turning up for players they feel connected to. Young Singaporean athletes are being given a glimpse of what the professional game looks like. And The Kallang is being transformed into a precinct where tennis can be watched, played, discussed and experienced.

The result is a week that promises to be as much about the atmosphere around the tennis as the matches themselves. The main draw begins on 21 September at 11am at OCBC Arena, The Kallang, with the tournament continuing through the week.

For those who want to make a day of it, the wider precinct offers fan activities, clinics, meet-and-greets and screenings, while selected matches will also be available through meWATCH, with StarHub providing comprehensive tournament coverage across Singapore.

And for those who prefer their tennis with a little more comfort, premium hospitality is available at the ACES Club, with limited weekday tickets remaining. The Singapore Tennis Open may have arrived as a sporting event. But as the players stepped out in Peranakan kebayas, talked about childhood memories, local food, packed stadiums and the feeling of being close to home, it became clear that Singapore is offering them something beyond another tournament stop. For one week, The Kallang becomes a place where the world of tennis meets the city, and where the city gets to show the world a little of itself.

Photo Credit: The Kallang

Singapore Tennis Open 2026 runs from 19th to 27th September at The Kallang. Tickets, including ACES Club hospitality packages, are available through The Kallang, with limited weekday tickets remaining.