Janice Tjen Returns to Chennai to Defend Chennai Open Title as International Field Expands

Indonesia’s Janice Tjen will return to Chennai as the top seed and defending champion at the third edition of the Chennai Open International Women’s Tennis Championships, scheduled from November 2 to 8, 2026. 

The WTA 250 tournament will bring a strong international field to the SDAT Tennis Stadium in Nungambakkam, with 28 countries represented in the announced list of participating players and 11 competitors ranked inside the world’s top 100. Ranked No. 49 in the world, the 24-year-old Tjen will lead a field that combines established international names, former Grand Slam performers and emerging talents. Her return also marks a milestone for the tournament, as she becomes the first Asian player to enter the Chennai Open as the top seed.

The event is supported by the Government of Tamil Nadu and is positioned as India’s highest-ranking women’s international tennis tournament. Chennai, which hosted an ATP 250 event for two decades, continues to build its profile as a destination for top-level professional tennis through the women’s competition.

Tjen’s position at the top of the draw will put her under pressure from the outset, with several highly ranked players expected to challenge for the title. Austria’s 18-year-old Lilli Tagger, currently ranked No. 61, is the second seed. A French Open junior champion, Tagger represents the next generation of international tennis talent and will arrive in Chennai looking to translate her promise into a strong senior-level performance.

Thailand’s Lanlana Tararudee, ranked No. 63, is the third seed. At 22, she has established herself among the leading players in the field and will be another contender capable of making a deep run. Hungary’s Panna Udvardy and Poland’s Magda Linette add further experience to the draw. Linette, a runner-up at the 2022 Chennai event, will return with the benefit of previous experience at the venue. Another notable entrant is Yulia Putintseva, a former world top-20 player and Grand Slam quarter-finalist. The current Asian Games bronze medallist in singles and doubles brings considerable experience against elite opposition and could pose a serious challenge to the leading seeds.

Further down the entry list, Uzbekistan’s Polina Kudermetova and Chinese Taipei’s Joanna Garland will attract attention. Garland produced a memorable semi-final run at last year’s tournament, while 19-year-old Serbian Teodora Kostovic adds another promising young name to the field. The combination of established performers and emerging players should make the tournament competitive across the week, with Tjen’s title defence facing several credible challenges.

A record international presence in Chennai

The announced main-draw list features players representing 28 countries, the highest international representation recorded at the event so far. With 11 players ranked inside the top 100, the tournament is expected to offer a strong test for competitors across the draw. The breadth of nationalities reflects the growing international reach of the Chennai Open. For Indian tennis followers, the event provides an opportunity to watch players from different tennis cultures compete at a high level without travelling overseas.

The tournament also represents an important platform for Chennai to strengthen its association with professional tennis. The city’s history of hosting international events provides a foundation, while the WTA 250 competition brings a prominent women’s tournament back to the centre of the sporting calendar.

Preparations are underway at the SDAT Tennis Stadium, which is maintained by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu. The venue is being upgraded for the tournament, including the relaying of the court surface. A major development for this edition will be the introduction of electronic line calling on all three match courts. According to tournament organisers, this will be the first time the technology is implemented across all three match courts at a tennis event in India.

The move represents a significant step in the tournament’s technical presentation, bringing the officiating environment closer to systems increasingly used at major professional events. Vijay Amritraj, president of the Tamil Nadu Tennis Association (TNTA) and head of the organising team, welcomed the preparations and highlighted the support provided by the state government and SDAT.

He said the player field offered a strong balance of experienced professionals and emerging international talent, while also encouraging sports enthusiasts and young tennis players to attend and experience world-class tennis in Chennai.

The tournament will offer total prize money of USD 283,347, with the singles champion set to receive USD 37,390 and 250 WTA ranking points. The singles runner-up will earn USD 22,125 and 163 ranking points. In doubles, the winning team will receive USD 13,600, while the runners-up will earn USD 7,650. Season tickets are priced at ₹7,500, ₹4,500 and ₹3,000, with early-bird offers planned for buyers. The organisers said details of the ticket-sale launch would be announced shortly.

Chennai prepares for another week of international tennis

With Tjen returning as defending champion and a deep field featuring top-100 players, former top-20 competitors and rising prospects, the Chennai Open is set for a compelling third edition.

The tournament’s expanded international representation and introduction of electronic line calling underline its growing ambitions. For Tjen, the immediate task will be to defend her title against a field that includes players with the experience and ranking credentials to challenge her.

From November 2 to 8, Chennai will once again become a focal point for women’s professional tennis in India, with the title race offering a week of high-level competition at the SDAT Tennis Stadium.