With the upcoming Philippine Women's Open, the Philippines will be playing host to a WTA event for the first time ever.
History beckons for Philippine tennis as country hosts the Philippine Women’s Open, slated to happen from January 24 to January 31 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.
With excitement buzzing from the community to fans across the country, the Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA) said that this first hosting of a WTA event will not a one time thing.
Rather, with plans to bump up the tournament from 125 to a WTA 250, PHILTA framed the event as one with long-term goals — especially since the hosting came with a responsibility to refurbish facilities at the iconic Manila venue.
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“This is not just a one-time event. This is not just a tournament. This is actually an investment in Philippine tennis,” said PHILTA Secretary General John Rey Tiangco at the Philippine Women’s Open press conference.
Even though it was an international event that prompted the Philippine Sports Commission to go to action in helping PHILTA with their facilities, it will be Filipino players that will get to benefit from the refurbished courts in the long run.
“Once we fix all the courts, we'll be using it for the next few years. We'll have events, and we're actually building the whole ecosystem,” noted Tiangco.
Building for the future
It’s not just facilities, though, as the investment also bleeds into actual players who are set to experience a high-level WTA tournament for the first time.
18-year-old Tennielle Madis will be one of the wild cars in the main draw, allowing her to test her strength against better and more experienced players in the tour.
Meanwhile, junior players will be able to catch the action and draw inspiration from high-level netters as ball boys and girls.
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Along with the athletes themselves, PHILTA is also looking forward to building the tennis community on the supporter end, with the organizers hoping for fans to flock to Manila to catch the historic tournament unfold.
With ticket prices priced at modest rates, Tiangco is hopeful for a good turnout.
“We want it to be accessible and, of course, affordable to everyone, for all the Filipinos to watch… I hope you can support this tournament. And, hope we can also support our players,” he said.
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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.