Singapore 2026 Fan Reactions: From WTA 250 to WTA 500 — What’s Different

In 2025, the Singapore Tennis Open made its comeback with the successful WTA 250 tournament that saw a good turnout of people and fan response. The news that the event is going to get elevated to WTA 500, and that it will be held in the OCBC Arena from September 21 to September 27, has changed the perception of this tournament in the minds of fans. This is the first time the city-state will be hosting a WTA 500-level event and will stay there until 2030.

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Moving up from a WTA 250 to a WTA 500 means the Singapore event will now have more prize money, more ranking points, and more reason for top players to be here. Because of this, organizers have promised that this will have better coverage across multiple platforms. Fans can now track live scores, schedule updates, and player updates with reduced lag time and improved accuracy. In recent years, fan interaction around the major tennis events has grown.

While the draw or the outcome of matches is a common topic of discussion among fans on social media, some have taken their interest a step further. These fans are exploring legal ways to track and back outcomes more closely, namely, through legal betting sites.

In Singapore, the betting market has opened gradually to include tennis, though the rules around this space are more defined than in many other countries. That said, this does not mean that people are completely blocked from placing bets. With better digital regulation, fans who wish to participate in legal sports betting in Singapore can still find reliable options through authorized sites 

One of the most common takeaways from fans at the 2025 tournament was the hope to see top-tier players in future editions. While the first was well received, there was a lack of higher-ranked names typical of the 500 level of the tournament.

There are only seventeen such tournaments in the WTA's worldwide calendar, meaning that players play them for both points and prestige. In 2026, the fans are anticipating the likes of top-20 or even top-10 players to compete. WTA Chief Executive Portia Archer said that the tour is confident that the new level will bring in stronger names and build on the positive momentum of the last edition.

This aligns with what many fans have expressed online and in post-event coverage. They would like to see Singapore become a regular destination for top talent.

Another change that's expected to make a difference is the move to the OCBC Arena at the Singapore Sports Hub. In 2025, matches were held at the Kallang Tennis Hub, but this new venue has more flexibility in terms of seating and simply better infrastructure for indoor Tennis.

For fans, that means fewer interruptions from weather conditions, as well as better views from more sections of the stands. The venue is part of a larger development, which incorporates a number of sporting and community facilities, all of which have been designed to facilitate international-level competition.

These improvements have played a role in Singapore securing the WTA 500 status through 2030. For fans, it's not just a matter of having a nicer stadium; it's a matter of creating an environment where world-class tennis can actually happen and run smoothly.

Being the only WTA 500 event in Southeast Asia makes Singapore a more important part of the global tennis calendar. While countries in the region tend to host lower-tier competitions, this five-year deal puts Singapore in a different class altogether.

This helps to attract attention at the regional level, with fans from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand already discussing plans to attend the 2026 edition. The 2025 tournament saw a large number of fans attending live matches from outside of Singapore or watching them online.

The hope is that 2026 will see that interest doubled, especially if the interest of higher-ranking players is confirmed nearer the time. There's also talk that this upgrade might be pushing other cities to shoot for similar events, but for now, Singapore has the leg up.

While the WTA 500 event takes the spotlight, the Singapore Tennis Invitational Cup will be held during that week as well. Organized by the Singapore Tennis Association, the Invitational Cup features top teams from the region and adds a different angle to the tennis week.

Organized by the Singapore Tennis Association, the Invitational Cup is a gathering of the region's top teams and provides a different perspective on the tennis week.

It's competitive, team-based, and allows fans to see a mix of formats. The combination of both tournaments creates an overall wider tennis experience. It makes the 2026 edition not just a singles draw event, as it turns into a festival of tennis.

That's something organizers emphasized in their announcement, saying the week will be an exhibition not just for elite players but for development games and regional competition.