AQI 1556: The Chennai Open finalist hit out at the organizers and said they wanted the match to go ahead

The Chennai Open women’s singles final was delayed by a day after the city was engulfed in thick smog that pushed the air quality index (AQI) into the hazardous region. Indonesia’s Janice Tjen was scheduled to face Poland’s Magda Linette on Sunday, November 8, but the summit clash was postponed to Monday morning due to poor visibility at the venue.

Tjen, the defending champion and world number 75, shared a video on Instagram showing the conditions around Chennai. A thick blanket of smog covered the area, greatly reducing visibility.

The Indonesian also criticized the tournament’s organizers, claiming they wanted the final to take place despite the poor air quality. Her contribution came after the singles final was called off after numerous delays on Sunday night.

The match, which was supposed to start at 18:30 after the end of the doubles final, has already been postponed several times due to rain. Once the showers stopped, the organizers worked to dry the center court at the SDAT Stadium in Nungambakkam and announced that play would begin at 9 pm.

However, the situation changed again when the stadium was engulfed in thick smoke from the Diwali fireworks, causing visibility problems. The match was subsequently suspended, with both players arriving briefly on center court before leaving with their equipment bags.

According to PTI, rain and thick smoke from Diwali celebrations prevented the final from starting. The doubles final, which preceded the singles competition, was completed without interruption.

The WTA later confirmed the postponement in an official statement, announcing that the final would be played on Monday 9 November at 11am, the reserve day of the tournament.

“Due to unforeseen weather conditions, the women’s singles final between Janice Tjen and Magda Linette has been postponed. The match will now take place tomorrow (November 9, 2026) at 11am,” the WTA said.

The Tamil Nadu Tennis Association also confirmed that spectators who have purchased valid tickets for Sunday’s matches will be able to use the same tickets to enter the venue on Monday.

The third edition of the WTA 250 Chennai Open was affected by weather interruptions throughout the week. The opening day’s main draw was completely washed out and rain also interrupted play for an hour on the second day.

The tournament will also mark the end of Chennai’s tenure on the WTA Tour calendar, at least for the foreseeable future. The event has been moved to Manila, Philippines for 2027, with the growing popularity of Philippine star Alexandra Eala and the timing of the tournament in Chennai coinciding with the monsoon season among the factors behind the move.

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