WTA Eastward Shift: Singapore Open Takes Center Stage
The US Open may close the New York chapter, but it does not close the 2026 tennis season. On Monday, Sept. 21, the WTA caravan swings sharply east, opening its fall Asian run with the upgraded Singapore Open and the Korea Open.
One event has been given a louder microphone. The other has a star with a Grand Slam trophy in her luggage.
Singapore Open: a comeback tournament with a new status
Singapore’s tournament has always been a little different. The Singapore Open – officially the Singapore Tennis Open – first appeared on the calendar in 1986, then vanished, reappeared, and disappeared again. It skipped 1991 to 1993, then dropped out entirely from 1995 until its return in 2025.
So no, there are not 40 former champions from a 40-year span. The gaps are part of its story.
What has changed this year is its weight. The event has been elevated from WTA 250 to WTA 500 status, a jump that instantly reshapes the draw. More ranking points, more prize money, more incentive for players to extend their seasons after the grind of the majors.
Elise Mertens, who won the title when the tournament rejoined the tour in 2025, returns as the fourth seed, defending not just a trophy but a piece of the event’s new identity.
Big names, late-season stakes
The original marquee name, Jessica Pegula, will not be there. The 2026 US Open semifinalist and initial top seed has withdrawn, a notable loss for the tournament’s marketing push.
The field still has teeth.
Mirra Andreeva, freshly crowned 2026 French Open champion, steps into Pegula’s spot as the new top seed. The teenager’s rise has been one of the stories of the year, and Singapore now becomes another test of how she handles the expectation that comes with a major title.
Behind her, Amanda Anisimova takes the No. 2 seed, while Alexandra Eala carries the No. 3 seed and a wave of support that feels less like a fan base and more like a movement.
Eala mania hits Singapore
Eala’s presence has transformed the atmosphere around the event. The 21-year-old from the Philippines arrived in New York earlier this month to a growing following; now in Singapore, that energy has turned into something close to mania.
Nike has rolled out custom Eala merchandise, built around the sampaguita, the national flower of the Philippines. It is not just another player logo line. It is a cultural marker, and fans have responded in kind.
Lines have snaked outside stores as supporters waited for hours to get their hands on the gear. For a tournament rebuilding its place on the calendar, that kind of organic buzz is priceless.
The image of Eala walking onto court in New York on Sept. 5 ahead of her US Open third-round match against Iva Jovic felt like a glimpse of the future. Singapore, now with WTA 500 status and a rising star at its heart, might be where that future starts to solidify.
Korea Open: a Grand Slam champion leads the line
While Singapore enjoys its upgrade, the Korea Open stays in its WTA 250 lane, but with a proven headliner. Jelena Ostapenko, Grand Slam champion and one of the tour’s most unpredictable shot-makers, arrives as the top seed.
The event does not have Singapore’s new shine, yet it offers something just as compelling: a chance for Ostapenko to stamp her authority on the autumn swing and for the chasing pack to grab valuable points before the season winds toward its finale.
The US Open is done. The trophies have been lifted, the confetti cleared. But in Singapore and Seoul, the year is far from over — and for players like Andreeva, Eala, and Ostapenko, the real statement of their 2026 seasons may still be waiting on these hard courts in Asia.
