Elise Mertens clinches singles title at inaugural Singapore Tennis Open

February 05, 2025 at 05:10 AM EST

Close to 22,000 tennis fans flocked to Kallang Tennis Hub across nine days
Second-seed Elise Mertens bested Ann Li to claim her 9th career WTA singles title
Desirae Krawczyk and Giuliana Olmos claimed victory in a thrilling Doubles Final

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 5 February 2025 - Elise Mertens and the pair of Desirae Krawczyk/Giuliana Olmos have claimed the inaugural Singapore Tennis Open (STO) Singles and Doubles titles respectively.

*Mertens clinched her 9th singles title at the inaugural Singapore Tennis Open at the Kallang Tennis Hub (Credits: WTA / Ashok Kumar)*

Second-seed Mertens secured her 9th career WTA singles title – her first since Monastir 2023 – following a clinical final against Ann Li. Mertens bagged the win with straight sets, 6-1, 6-4, in 82 minutes.

Having dropped only one set in the four prior matches throughout the tournament, Mertens was raring to go in the final. Her opponent, Li, entered the match flawlessly without dropping a set, using her all-court skills to dispatch her opponents all week. The title decider began with a masterclass from Mertens, outplaying her American opponent to seal the opening set in a mere 26 minutes. The Belgian quickly went up 2-0 in the second set. With the title seeming out of her grasp, Li looked to stage a comeback, breaking Mertens’ serve back and bringing the set to two games all. Ultimately, Mertens’ solid baseline game prevailed, falling to the Kallang Tennis Hub court as she took home the STO Singles crown.

Krawczyk and Olmos faced strong opposition all week, with four of seven sets played going to 7-5 or 7-6. However, their tactful net play and clutch serving in critical moments secured them a spot in the final where they raced to an early 3-0 lead. In spite of their opponents, Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai, displaying a strong fighting spirit, a late charge saw the American-Mexican pair clinch the first set 7-5. They carried this momentum into the second set, storming their way to a 6-0 victory for the pair to claim their first title together in almost five years.

Please see the full run-down of the tournament scores here.

Mertens celebrates, “This was the first time the (Singapore Tennis Open) was organised and it was incredibly well-run. I hope to come back next year to defend my title and my points – but for now, I’m going to enjoy this victory. Singapore is an amazing city – the people are so friendly and our stay at the Hilton was a fantastic experience. The weather held up well, and everyone was so helpful. Tennis-wise, I feel like I’ve grown. My movement felt strong, and I played with confidence. This is my ninth title, and winning here has created such great memories and energy.”

Krawczyk and Olmos said, “Thank you to everyone who came out. Not just today, but the whole week. It’s nice to have a full stadium with all the fans. It’s a great atmosphere for us and we really appreciate it. We just wanted to go out on the court and play our game...and just enjoy being on the court together, having fun and...competing hard. (Singapore) has been enjoyable, very welcoming. Thank you to all the fans!”

A Tournament to Remember

Overall, close to 22,000 fans, enthusiasts and spectators flowed through the Kallang Tennis Hub, across nine days to indulge in the inaugural STO and its activities. Tennis fans in Singapore were treated to hard-hitting action and bustling community activities at the Kallang Tennis Hub this past week. They not only witnessed world-class gameplay but also soaked in the lively atmosphere at the Fan Village with meet-and-greet with WTA players and tennis-related activities. Adding to the excitement, the inaugural Singapore Tennis Invitational Cup (STIC) saw the finest tennis talents from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Cambodia take to the courts ahead of the 2025 SEA Games.

The inaugural STO saw tennis lovers catch world-class tennis action that once again returned to Singapore shores. This tournament is part of the 2025 Hologic WTA Tour calendar, which features over 50 tournaments that will be played across 26 countries and regions. Set to return for two more years in 2026 and 2027, the STO marks a momentous beginning to thrilling tennis action and exciting fan engagement.

Hyping the Community Up

Over nine days, fans were able to get up close and personal with the likes of Anna Kalinskaya, Oksana Kalashnikova, Nao Hibino and Wang Xinyu at meet-and-greets, and pick up tips from STO Community Ambassadors Tamarine Tanasugarn and Yayuk Basuki at tennis clinics. Both are top-ranked players from Thailand and Indonesia respectively, and competed on the WTA tour in the past. With varied activities for all ages, the tournament programme was intentionally designed to celebrate tennis, engage fans, and grow interest in the sport.

More than 700 students also embarked on guided learning journeys at the STO, exploring venue logistics, event operations, and sports management behind the scenes. The tours included stops at the Singapore Sports Museum, WTA Finals commemorative art sculpture, and a centre court seat for these students to enjoy live tennis action.

Shaping the Future of Tennis in Southeast Asia

The past week also saw our region’s best face off in a round-robin format at the Kallang Tennis Hub outdoor courts in the first-ever STIC, organised by Singapore Tennis Association (STA) in partnership with Kallang Alive Sport Management (KASM). Singapore emerged victorious in the STIC final, edging past Indonesia with a 3-2 scoreline.

With back-to-back victories in the Men’s and Women’s singles matches, Singapore took a crucial 2-1 lead heading into the Men’s Doubles final. Singaporean duo, Daniel Abadia and Michael Dylan Jimenez, rose to the occasion in a hard-fought battle against Indonesia, delivering the Cup-clinching victory. Malaysia secured third place, defeating Cambodia 5-0. Team Singapore’s Lynelle Lim, Audrey Tong, and Eva Marie Desvignes were also awarded wildcards for the STO singles qualifying matches. Details here.
Hashtag: #SingaporeSportsHub

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ABOUT SINGAPORE SPORTS HUB

Singapore Sports Hub is an iconic, premier destination offering sporting, entertainment and lifestyle experiences for all to enjoy. This world-class development is managed by Kallang Alive Sport Management Co Pte Ltd (KASM). It offers programming that comprises international recreational and competitive events, live entertainment as well as activities that cater to the broader community. The Singapore Sports Hub aims to serve the sporting and entertainment needs of people from all walks of life.

Home to unique world-class sports facilities within the city, the Singapore Sports Hub plays a critical role in accelerating the development of Singapore’s sports industry, excellence and participation. Located in Kallang, the Singapore Sports Hub includes the following facilities:

A 55,000-capacity National Stadium with a retractable roof and movable tiered seating
A 12,000-capacity Singapore Indoor Stadium with pillarless interior
A 6,000-capacity OCBC Aquatic Centre that meets FINA standards
A 3,000-capacity OCBC Arena which is scalable and flexible in layout
Kallang Tennis Hub, Singapore’s first international tournament-ready indoor tennis facility
Kallang Football Hub housing Singapore’s National Training Centre for football
Water Sports Centre featuring kayaking and canoeing
41,000 sqm Kallang Wave Mall, including indoor climbing wall and Splash-N-Surf facility (Kids Waterpark, Stingray and Lazy River)
100PLUS Promenade that encircles the National Stadium
Singapore Youth Olympic Museum & Singapore Sports Museum
Shimano Cycling World
Daily community facilities and activities, including beach volleyball, hard courts (futsal, basketball and netball) lawn bowls, giant chess, skate park and running & cycling paths.