The WTA 250 Chennai Open will have its last edition this year after India lost the tournament slot to the Philippines, but the Tamil Nadu Tennis Association (TNTA) is working to bring three to four WTA 125 events to the country in January-February 2028, Indian tennis legend Vijay Amritraj told the news agency.
Amritraj, who had hoped to retain the WTA 250 tournament, said the decision to move it was understandable given the weather conditions in Chennai and the emergence of a major tennis star in the Philippines in Alexandra Eala, making it a more attractive destination for the WTA. The Chennai Open, which has struggled to attract a strong international field, is held during the monsoon season, posing logistical challenges for the organisers.
The Philippines, meanwhile, has a top-20 player Eala, who has emerged as a superstar in her country following her impressive Wimbledon performance.
“We are not looking at a 250 just yet for 2027, but we are looking good for a few more tournaments in the 125 category, 125-plus H category, more than one. So we are hoping to have maybe three or four in January-February of 2028,” Amritraj told news agency in an interview.
The idea, he said, is to provide Indian players, particularly the women, with a sustained run of international competition rather than relying on a single high-profile tournament.
“Girls like Vaishnavi, Sahaja and all of them get a chance, Indian girls get a chance to play a string of tournaments, not just one 250.
So I am hoping I will be able to get that done for January-February of 2028,” he said.
Amritraj believes a series of WTA 125 events could offer Indian players a better opportunity to accumulate ranking points and make progress on the professional circuit.
While a WTA 250 attracts bigger names and greater attention, Indian players often struggle to make the main draw and depend on wildcards to gain entry.
“It does (help) if you are good enough. If they win two matches here, obviously they get more points. But you have to get in, they have to get wildcards and so on and so forth.
“Whereas in the 125, you have a better chance of perhaps winning some matches, getting to the quarterfinals and semifinals if you play well enough,” he said.
“It's still tough, very, very tough. The challenge is not that different. We are just giving them more of an opportunity to play more tournaments.”
Asked whether India could have done more to retain the Chennai Open, Amritraj said he was keen to keep the event but understood the reasoning behind the decision.
“I wanted to keep it. But again, I fully understood the decision as far as the weather is concerned, number one. This is actually in the middle of a monsoon season, so it is a bit hard,” he said.
He also pointed to the Philippines' growing tennis appeal.
“At the same time, they moved it to Manila, where they have a top-20 player. I knew that girl did so well in Wimbledon and in the Philippines she is a superstar there. So it was easier to move it to the Philippines,” he said.
Attracting top-ranked players to the Chennai event has also been a challenge, with several factors influencing their participation.
“Schedule, money, the number of tournaments they have played, appearance fee, as well as their own schedules. And also depending on whether they are in the singles and doubles finals,” Amritraj said.
On AITA elections
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Turning to the upcoming All India Tennis Association (AITA) elections, Amritraj said the new leadership must prioritise the interests of players across the country and ensure that opportunities are not concentrated in a handful of states.
He called for a collaborative approach involving state associations and regional bodies to expand the domestic tournament calendar and create a stronger pathway from junior to senior tennis.
“The important thing is to work for the interest of the players across the country. Every state wants to do something, so they need help. I think it is a collaborative effort, everyone putting their shoulder to the wheel,” he said.
“Go by regions, go by zones, make sure that everyone gets a chance to have both junior and senior tournaments. Even if it is not exactly a big ATP Tour event, we constantly have events in each of these places so that they get a chance to play first, get better, and then continue to have tour events where they can get ATP and WTA points. That's the goal.”
Asked whether state associations that fail to organise tournaments should face the prospect of losing their AITA affiliation, Amritraj cautioned against taking an overly rigid approach.
He acknowledged that only a handful of states regularly host tournaments but said local circumstances, infrastructure and weather conditions must also be considered.
“We never want to be so harsh on state associations because each association will perhaps have their own issues and problems locally, and it might not be the number one sport in the state,” he said.
“It's important for them to actually make an effort, however they do it. Weather conditions play a major role in different parts of the country. So you have got to work through all those things.”
The upcoming AITA elections have generated considerable interest, with multiple contenders expected to vie for key positions, unlike previous elections that largely witnessed unanimous selections.
“In any election, competition is good. It's like our sport. Competition is always good. That's what increases the quality of performance,” he said.
“Put out what you want to do. Everyone puts out what they want to do and the best man gets the job.”