The Chennai women’s ITF tennis championship will be held here at the Madras Gymkhana Club courts from April 15 to 20. The total prize money is $10,000.
Kyra Shroff, Ankita Raina, Nidhi Chilumula, and Prarthana G. Thombare — ranked between 450 and 700 by the WTA computer — lead the Indian-heavy field. Also in the draw is veteran Rushmi Chakravarthi, who partnered Sania Mirza in the Olympics doubles last year.
The two foreign players in the 20-woman direct-entry list are Serbia’s Barbara Bonic and China’s Xi-Yao Wang. The qualifying rounds, which will be played on April 13 and 14, have three foreign players. The doubles, a sign-in event, will be held from April 15 to 19.
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In a press conference, TNTA president M.A. Alagappan said the State association was committed to staging such tournaments which gave Indian players the opportunity to earn valuable ranking points. “This year, the TNTA is conducting six men’s Futures and one women’s tournament, which is a record for us,” Alagappan said. The singles winner gains 12 points, the runner-up 8, the losing semifinalists 6, and the losing quarterfinalists 4. Players who clear the first round get one point.
The tournament is being supported by the KSN Sports Foundation. Sanmar Group chairman N. Sankar, who handed over the sponsor’s cheque to Alagappan, congratulated the TNTA “for becoming the centre of tennis activity in India”.