Weather may have a say as WTA Chennai Open set to begin for one last time

In the last week of a long and hectic tennis season, most players are usually running on fumes and already thinking about either off-season training or planning their vacation.

The flip side, however, is that some view it as that time of the year where they can collect crucial ranking points and set themselves up for the next season.

It is this duality which may ultimately decide who wins the third edition of the WTA 250 Chennai Open, which gets underway at the SDAT Stadium in Nungambakkam on Monday.

The field for what is the last Tour-level event in the country for the foreseeable future — this WTA 250 tournament shifts to the Philippines next year — is not particularly strong with Indonesian World No. 47 Janice Tjen, the reigning champion, and Austrian World No. 53 Lilli Tagger being the top two seeds.

None of the Indians, however, could make the cut purely on ranking. Vaishnavi Adkar (334), Sahaja Yamalapalli (369) and top Indian female junior Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi (716) will look to justify the main draw wild cards awarded to them by the Tamil Nadu Tennis Association.

The 21-year-old Vaishnavi is aware of the challenges of playing a Tour-level event as compared to the ITFs. “Against the higher-ranked players, more balls will come back. You have to be physically and mentally stronger to stay in every point,” said the top-ranked Indian on the eve of the tournament.

The weather could play spoilsport, just like last year when the first two days of the main draw were completely washed out. According to the India Meteorological Department, thunderstorms and lightning are expected on Monday and Tuesday.

For the first time in the tournament’s history, the Electronic Line Calling system will be used on all three match courts.