Tennis fans could be in with a treat as a few of the men’s top tennis players cold well make their way to Singapore after the Australian Open in February after it was announced that Singapore will be the destination for the ATP (Association of Professional Tennis Players) 250 tournament – the Singapore Tennis Open.
In a media release on Wednesday (20 January), Sport Singapore (SportSG) said that the tournament will be held at the Singapore Sports Hub’s OCBC Arena from 20 to 28 February.
This comes about after the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) granted a single-year licence for a new ATP 250 tournament, in a bid to create more playing opportunities for tennis players amid the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Outside of the annual grand slam events, the ATP 250 will offer a total prize money ranging from from US$416,000 to US1,024,000.
The winner will also get 250 rankings points.
The tournament in Singapore cold well see a few of the top men’s players popping in to Singapore immediately after the Australian Open which ends on 21 February.
Strict safe management measures will be implemented, along with travel protocol for players and officials in line with prevailing government regulations.
“Safety for all – players, coaches, officials and fans – remains our top priority. Sport Singapore and Singapore Tennis Association, supported by Singapore Tourism Board and Singapore Sports Hub, will work closely on safe management measures to ensure the well-being of all involved in the Tournament,” said Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth in a Facebook post after the announcement.
The combined efforts of SportSG and Singapore Tennis Association with the support of Singapore Tourism Board and the Singapore Sports Hub will be important in enabling international sporting events to return to Singapore in stages through 2021, said SportSG in its media release.
Photo: Singapore Sports Hub
