Diwali fireworks, rain force Chennai Open final to be postponed

Chennai: Thick smog engulfs the SDAT Tennis Stadium caused by firecracker celebrations during Diwali, ahead of the singles final of the WTA 250 Chennai Open tennis tournament, in Chennai. (PTI Photo)

The WTA 250 Chennai Open women's singles final between defending champion Janice Tjen and Poland's Magda Linette has been rescheduled for Monday after rain and deteriorating air quality forced organisers to postpone Sunday's title clash at the SDAT Tennis Stadium. The championship match, which was originally scheduled to take place on Sunday, could not get underway as rain interrupted play and smoke from Diwali fireworks affected the air quality around the venue. The organisers subsequently decided to push the contest back by a day, with the final now scheduled to begin at 11 am IST on Monday, November 9. Tjen, the top seed from Indonesia, was due to face third seed Linette in a clash between two players looking to add another milestone to their Chennai Open campaigns. However, the disruption meant the tournament's closing day ended without the much-anticipated singles showdown. The decision to stage the final on Diwali had already attracted criticism, with questions being raised over the organisers' choice of date given the traditional fireworks celebrations across Chennai. The impact of the celebrations was also felt during the semi-finals, when the sound of firecrackers bursting outside the stadium repeatedly disrupted proceedings. The noise became particularly pronounced on Sunday evening as Diwali celebrations gathered pace across the city. Such disturbances are especially challenging in tennis, where players need to maintain concentration and points are generally played in silence. While spectators can cheer between points, the repeated sounds of crackers in the vicinity of the stadium made it difficult to maintain the usual playing environment.

Tjen and Linette book final spots

Tjen will be aiming to defend the title she won last year after securing her place in a second successive Chennai Open final. The Indonesian top seed defeated American Robin Montgomery 6-3, 6-4 in the semi-finals to move within one win of retaining her crown. Linette, meanwhile, had to fight back after dropping the opening set against seventh seed Anastasia Zakharova. The Polish player recovered to register a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory and set up the final against Tjen. The third seed will be hoping to go one step further this time after finishing runner-up at the Chennai Open in 2022.

Vaishnavi Adkar, Rutuja Bhosale finish runners-up

Earlier on Sunday, India's Vaishnavi Adkar and Rutuja Bhosale missed out on the women's doubles title after losing to Switzerland's Simona Waltert and Naima Karamoko in straight sets. The Indian combination endured a difficult outing, going down 2-6, 0-6 as the Swiss pair controlled the match from the outset. Karamoko was particularly effective at the net, while Waltert provided dependable support from the baseline. Waltert and Karamoko secured early breaks in both sets and maintained their advantage to complete a comfortable victory and lift the doubles trophy.

Despite the defeat, Adkar and Bhosale had reason to take pride in their campaign. They became the first all-Indian pairing to reach a WTA Tour-level doubles final. The Indian duo had booked their place in the championship match by producing a strong performance against second seeds Weronika Falkowska of Poland and Alana Smith of the United States. They registered a 6-2, 2-6, [10-8] victory in the semi-finals before their run ended against the Swiss combination in the final.