Game, sweat, match: Inside the Singapore Tennis Open 2026
The Kallang’s OCBC Arena erupted in deafening cheers on Sept 27 as Canada’s Leylah Fernandez sealed her hard-fought victory over Australian Talia Gibson in the final of the 2026 Singapore Tennis Open presented by BNP Paribas.
The 24-year-old screamed for joy as she ran towards her coach and father, Jorge, to celebrate.
Fernandez, the No. 6 seed, had to dig deep against the unseeded Gibson to avoid yet another upset in a tournament that saw the reigning French Open champion Mirra Andreeva and several other higher-ranked players depart earlier than expected.
“Eala-mania”, which had been building across the world over the last couple of months, continued in Singapore.
But it could not carry the Philippines’ Alexandra Eala – ranked 18th in the world – to victory over a gritty Tatiana Prozorova, more than 100 places below her.
Eventually, Fernandez found her groove in the final, and took the last eight games in a breathtaking shift of momentum, defeating Gibson 7-5, 6-0, in 1 hour and 38 minutes to capture her sixth career singles title.
WTA world No. 63 Talia Gibson during the women’s singles final match. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
WTA world No. 31 Leylah Fernandez in action during the final match. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
A jubilant Leylah Fernandez of Canada after winning the singles final against Talia Gibson of Australia at the Singapore Tennis Open on Sept 27. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
It was a spectacular finish to the tournament, newly elevated to WTA 500 status from 2025’s 250-level event and offering a total prize purse of over US$1.2 million (S$1.53 million).
This year’s tournament, newly elevated to WTA 500 status, took place at the OCBC Arena in Singapore on indoor hard courts. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Over nine days, around 50,000 people thronged The Kallang to watch the qualifiers, a 28-player singles main draw and 16 doubles pairings on five indoor hard courts built from scratch to meet WTA’s world-class standards – Centre Court, Court 1 and three practice courts.
It took a dedicated crew of 300 people 17 days to set up the entire precinct, including the playing arenas and vibrant fan zones.
Preparation for the event includes pasting the tournament decals and wallpaper throughout the event space at the OCBC Arena. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Australia’s Talia Gibson and her coach, Jarrad Bunt, playing a board game called Catan in the players’ lounge on Sept 22. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Workers setting up the ACES Club Hospitality Suite. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Work in progress on the players’ tunnel. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Sixty-year-old Chua Beng Chuan stringing an athlete’s racket at the players’ lounge. He has been stringing rackets for 36 years. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Nao Hibino of Japan leaving The Kallang via a VIP drop-off point after her match against French player Kristina Mladenovic on Sept 21. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
The installation of the 4,000-capacity Centre Court and approximately 1,000-seater Court 1 alone demanded nine days of labour.
Construction of the seats at sections C and D on Sept 14 for the Singapore Tennis Open. About 4,000 seats were set up in the Centre Court. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
To protect the original parquet flooring of the OCBC Arena and ensure structural stability, workers first laid down a shock-absorbing underlay.
Shock-absorbing underlay levels and stabilises the playing surface. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Workers placing shock-absorbing underlay that serves as a cushion between the original flooring of OCBC Arena and the court system. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
A court-building specialist checking that the wooden platforms forming the court’s foundation are securely fastened before being sanded and painted. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Over this cushioning barrier went a base coat – an acrylic resurfacer, specifically engineered to provide the high traction needed for elite, high-speed tennis action.
Workers applying a layer of black acrylic resurfacer over the sanded layer of wood for the practice courts. The base coat is designed for high-traction action. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
It was followed by four separate layers of specialised playing surface coating.
Workers painting the last practice court on Sept 11. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
A court technician then carefully traced the lines using a dust-coated string before sealing them permanently with a portable manual court taper – a wheeled, hand-pushed mechanical device.
A court technician tracing the court lines with a portable manual court taper. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Watching these lines to see where exactly every ball lands were Hawk-Eye cameras suspended over each court.
A technician installing Hawk-Eye cameras at Court 1 on Sept 14. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Twelve of these were tracking cameras, used for electronic line calling, and six more monitored the players’ feet when they served.
Twelve such cameras were placed around each court as tracking cameras used for electronic line calling, while six more monitored the players’ feet when they served. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
These cameras saved the six umpires from six countries who served in the tournament the headache of having to preside over players contesting close calls.
But there was one thing that technology still could not replace in the high-stakes athletic drama: ball kids.
Ball kids undergoing pre-match briefing at the Singapore Tennis Open 2026. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Over 80 young people trained three times a week for a month to be ball kids at the event. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Over 80 of them, aged six to 15, trained three times a week for a month under the Singapore Tennis Association (STA) so they could dart about on court speedily and unobtrusively to collect and toss balls to the players.
The broadcast centre at work during the Round of 16 match between Talia Gibson of Australia and Viktoria Morvayova of Slovakia at the Singapore Tennis Open 2026 on Sept 24. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
As the Singapore Tennis Open 2026 lowered its curtains, a beaming Fernandez, the new champion, thanked all the fans who came to watch women’s tennis, “not only my matches, but everybody’s matches”.
Crowd favourite Eala probably put it best when she shared on Instagram upon her exit from the tournament:
“Never a dull moment in SG. Always a pleasure Singapore Tennis Open... Come back stronger, lah.”
Produced by: Andy Chen, Azmi Athni, Brian Teo, Gavin Foo, Irene Ang and Neo Xiaobin
Main photographs and videos by: Azmi Athni and Brian Teo