The Five-year Engagement

Calibre magazine looks back at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, now in its fifth and final year, and rounds up the event that helped elevate the sport of women’s tennis.

- Sean Long

Singapore has not figured often on the global tennis circuit. After all, it is a country that has for much of its modern history been obsessed with football. In recent years, sporting events from mixed martial arts to the Grand Prix have kept the island state spoilt for choice with sporting events on the global stage.

But in 2014, the country took the baton from Istanbul to host the annual marquee event for women’s tennis – the WTA Finals. And in doing so, it has excelled in its mission to uplift the sport of tennis not just within the country, but also for Asia, bringing in the sports’ powerhouses such as Serena and Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic, Simona Halep, Angelique Kerber, among the many, including Asian stars such as Sania Mirza and Latisha Chan.

PASSION MADE POSSIBLE

The past four years have been a monumental task in taking tennis to Singaporeans. Making the WTA Finals accessible and attractive for general audiences was event organiser and promoter Lagardère Sports, a global sports and entertainment agency.

That meant finding like-minded sponsors to support the mission for the long-term. Throughout the four years, the event has been supported by the likes of Porsche, BNP Paribas and SC Global, just to name a few, adding prestige, credibility and crucial support to the championship.