The WTA 250 Chennai Open has endured a stormy start to its 2025 edition, with play suspended for a second consecutive day as Cyclone Montha lashed India’s east coast. Not a single match has been completed since the event began on Monday, leaving both players and organizers grappling with severe disruption.
This year marks only the second edition of the Chennai Open, following its 2022 debut where Linda Fruhvirtova, then just 17, lifted her first WTA title at the SDAT Stadium. After a three-year hiatus, the tournament’s return was meant to signal a new chapter for Indian tennis — instead, it’s become an exercise in crisis management.
A City Under Siege
The cyclone has unleashed torrential rain, violent winds, and widespread flooding, bringing Chennai to a standstill. Flights were cancelled, roads submerged, and tournament logistics thrown into chaos. For the players, the wait has been long and uncertain.
Among those still waiting to make their Chennai debut are top seed Francesca Jones (No. 71), Donna Vekic (No. 76), Janice Tjen (No. 78), and Zeynep Sonmez (No. 114) — all scheduled to feature in first-round matches that have yet to start.
False Starts and Growing Frustration
Organizers made several valiant attempts to get play underway. After Monday’s washout, staff spent Tuesday afternoon drying the courts, hoping for a late start. Matches were initially rescheduled for 4:45 p.m., then delayed to 5:30 p.m., before worsening rain forced a full cancellation for the second day running.
Tournament director Hiten Joshi tried to stay upbeat amid the chaos.
“We’re actually quite satisfied because with a 32-player draw, we only need five days — one round per day,” he said. “Of course, players competing in both singles and doubles will have to play twice a day. We’ve experienced rain delays before, but never two full days without play.”
A Race Against the Weather
The revised plan is to begin play on Wednesday, October 29, with all 16 first-round matches scheduled to start at 11 a.m. Organizers then aim to compress the event into five consecutive days — second round on Thursday, quarterfinals Friday, semifinals and final over the weekend — assuming the weather clears as forecast.
For the Chennai Open, this is more than a scheduling headache; it’s a test of endurance. The event’s successful completion would represent not only a triumph over the elements but also a reaffirmation of India’s growing place on the WTA map.
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