CHENNAI: The wait is finally over. After three years, the Chennai Open is returning to the SDAT Stadium in Nungambakkam. As the preparations for Monday's main draw reached its final stages, the excitement for this tournament was palpable.
The WTA 250 tour will feature young talents who have broken barriers recently. Interestingly, some arrive as the trailblazers of the sport in their respective countries. Take Turkish Zeynep Sonmez for example. She became the first Turkish tennis player to reach the third round of Wimbledon in the Open era this year. Her WTA rankings stand at 69 (As of 20th October 2025), her career-best so far. She will be facing Tatiana Prozorova of Russia.
She is the top seed in the women's singles. "Yea (on being top seed for the first time) it feels good of course. It comes with pressure but I'm fine with it," Somnez told reporters on the eve of the main draw.
Since July last year, Somnez has not had a coach. She only has a fitness and mental coach in Mehmed Bayraktar. In November 2024, she won the Merida Open in Akron. She explained the importance of having Bayraktar as coach. "When you are in the top 100, everyone hits the ball quite similarly. It is important how you prepare and how you mentally stay in the match. Hopefully, I will start working at the end of the year with a coach," she added.
Another such player is fourth-seeded Janice Tjen of Indonesia. From the outside, it looks like she is reviving the hopes of tennis in the country. Tjen became the first Indonesian to qualify for the US Open since 2004, as well as crack into the top-100 in the WTA rankings. She will be facing Italy's Lucrezia Stefanini. For both Sonmez and Tjen, this WTA 250 tour provides another chance to improve their points and evolve as players.
For India, an enticing tie between 16-year-old Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi and India's second-best woman player Shrivalli Bhamidipaty could attract more crowds. Two of the country's best women players are expected to put in their best performances. Training at the prestigious Rafael Nadal Academy with seasoned professionals, Maaya is hoping for a memorable campaign. After a quiet 2024, Maaya has begun this year on a positive note. After bagging two junior titles (0ne at New Delhi and one at Gladbeck in Germany), she made it to the semifinals of the WTA 125k Mumbai Open. The wildcard entry is expected to go deep. Sahaja Yamalapalli, the country's best player, is set to start her campaign against a qualifier.
Linda Fruhvirtova of the Czech Republic will be returning to defend her title. In 2022, the then 17-year-old had beaten Magda Linette 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Paris Olympics silver medallist from Croatia Donna Vekic will also be one of the players to keep a close eye on. Junior Wimbledon champion Mia Pohankova, eighth seed from New Zealand, Lulu Sun, are other names to look out for.
Vaishnavi out
India's Vaishnavi Adkar lost against Astrid Lew Yan Foon of France in the qualifiers on Sunday. German Caroline Werner battled Thasaporn Naklo to win 6-3, 7-6 (4) in Court 1. Earlier, Japanese Mei Yamaguchi mounted a comeback from 1-4 down in the second set to beat Australian Arina Rodionova 2-6, 6-4, 6-2. In another qualifier, Arianne Hartono of Netherlands beat Priska Nugroho of Indonesia in straight sets.
Sunday's select results (Qualifiers): A Lew Yan Foon bt V Adkar 6-2, 6-3; C Werner 6-3, 7-6 (4); M Yamaguchi bt A Rodionova 2-6, 4-6, 6-2; A Hartano bt P Nugruho 6-2, 6-1.
