Following a gap of five years, India is set to host to a WTA event. The Mumbai Open, a 125K event which will run from November 20-26 at the Cricket Club of India, will offer Indian players the opportunity to compete alongside top- 50 international players. The last time India hosted a WTA event was the Royal Indian Open in 2012, which current world No. 5 Elina Svitolina went on to win.
It is, in fact, the second major event that the Maharashtra Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) has offered to host, after the Chennai Open, rechristened Maharashtra Open, recently.
"We actually bid for the WTA event, well before Chennai Open," MSLTA secretary Sunder Iyer told ESPN. "The 2012 event had gone off very well so when we pitched the idea to host an event again, and WTA was more than pleased. Currently India doesn't host a WTA event and considering it's a big market for the international body as well, they're more than eager to have us on the world tennis map."
Floated in 2012 by the WTA with the intent of promoting emerging markets and offering lower-ranked players a chance to step onto the tour, the 125K series forms the rung between the top-tier WTA tour and the ITF women's tournaments.
Eight wild cards will be offered to Indian players - four in qualifying and the main draw each - and India's top-ranked women's singles player Ankita Raina is chuffed at the prospect of playing a WTA event in the country.
"The experience and exposure will be crucial for Indian players," Ankita told ESPN. "To play against the top-50, top-100 in the world will be a huge step for most of us since our rankings make it tough to enter WTA tournaments."
Currently ranked No. 262, Ankita is the only Indian women's singles player inside the top 300 which technically can allow her a direct entry. The other Indian singles hopes - Karman Kaur Thandi and Zeel Desai - are ranked 349 and 690 respectively.
"The line-up will be announced after the US Open since we have to check which of the international players are willing to travel here," Iyer said.
The MSLTA will also host three more $25000 events in Pune and Navi Mumbai, and one $15000 tournament in Solapur.