Chennai Open final called off on Diwali night as cracker smog cuts visibility

The singles final of the WTA 250 Chennai Open was called off on the night of 8 November after smog from Diwali crackers made it hard for players to see. It was moved to the reserve day, 9 November, at 11 a.m.

Indonesia’s Janice Tjen, the defending champion, was to play Poland’s Magda Linette at the SDAT Stadium in Nungambakkam. The match was due to start at 6.30 p.m., after the doubles final, but rain delayed it three times. Organisers then dried the court and set a 9 p.m. start. About an hour later, play was called off because of the smog. The weather service AccuWeather rated the air “unhealthy” at the time, The Hindu reported.

Both players walked on to the centre court and spoke briefly with the supervisor, Sheetal Iyer, before leaving with their kit bags. In a statement, the WTA said the final had been postponed “due to unforeseen weather conditions”.

The players’ complaint

Tjen later shared an Instagram story by her coach, Christopher Bint, who said the organisers had wanted to go ahead despite the poor air. “And they still wanted the match to go ahead,” Tjen wrote, with a screenshot showing a very high air quality reading for Chennai. The organisers’ response to the claim was not available.

The Tamil Nadu Tennis Association said spectators with valid tickets for 8 November could use them on 9 November.

What it means

This was the third edition of the tournament, and for now the last WTA Tour event in India. The event has been moved to Manila, the Philippines, for 2027. The result of the final was not available when this was written.