21.10.16
As my flight landed at the Changi Airport at 6 am on Friday morning, I couldn’t have ever quite envisaged what I was in for. Thanks to the Singapore Tourism Board, the coming week would be a delight that would thrill all my senses as I had arrived in Singapore to cover the build-up to the US $7 Million dollar WTA Finals in Singapore.
After the driver promptly picked me up, I was whisked away to a local neighbourhood stall to enjoy a local favourite for breakfast – prata (quite like the paratha in India) with dal and fish curry. Having eaten my dinner only a couple of hours earlier, I was full to the brim and was only more than glad when the guide took me around the various beautifully maintained gardens in the heart of the city.
After completing lunch (yes, more food) at Halia, a cute cafe tucked away in a corner in the botanical garden, I checked into my hotel to rest and get ready for the WTA Finals draw later in the evening. Singapore was being treated to the WTA Finals for the third year running, with defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska and 2-time Grand Slam winner in 2016 Angelique Kerber proving to be the headlining acts.
The official draw
The draw would divide the top 8 ranked players into two groups – red and blue. The gala affair took place at the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel. The skating ring in the commercial part of the hotel was converted to a makeshift stage for the draw, and, with all the works, was made to look very grand. The location even allowed for fans, who were gathered in the hotel to line up on the floors above the skating ring to interact with the players.
While the players would move on to have dinner with a select bunch of invitees, I made myself to the 9th edition of the Singapore Wine Fiesta. The Wine Fiesta featured wine connoisseurs from around the world display their best and finest wines, with people crowding in to have a taste of the varied variety.
The fiesta was organized close to ‘One Fullerton’ which offers a panoramic view of the city’s sights at night. My eyes shut the moment I hit the bed, the next day would be a big one, as the players were to meet the media.
22.10.16
Media all access day
To work off all the food I had eaten the previous day, I made the wise choice of waking up early for a swim, only to be disappointed by the rains outside. (a mistake I would make in the days to come as it rained every morning) I did find comfort in the breakfast at my hotel as I grabbed a quick bite before heading back to the Marina Bay Sands for the all access day for the media.
I had the opportunity to interact with all the players as they took turns to answer questions one day prior to the event. Having picked the players’ brains over strategies and expectations for the week-long tournament, there was time for the media to network at the bay area of the hotel. The location offered another stunning view, a perfect contrast to the previous night, as this time, during the day, you were right opposite the ‘One Fullerton’ area and got another view of Singapore’s skyline.
We made our way for an early dinner to the newly-opened Montreux Jazz Cafe, a beautiful resto bar based on the Montreux Jazz Festival that takes place in Switzerland every year. The cafe is only the sixth of its kind in the world – after 3 in Switzerland and one each in Paris and Abu Dhabi. The food was sumptuous and we geared up to be thrilled by a Halloween night at the Universal Studios.
Having been warned aplenty about how terrifying the night can get, it turned to be a slight disappointment, as crowds thronged in and the waiting time in queues extended over 2 hours. On an ideal day, I would have waited in the lines, with the crowd, but rest was more important, as the tournament was due to kick off the very next day.
23.10.16
WTA Finals, day 1
We arrived at the Singapore Sports Hub hours prior to the start of the event to get a look-and-feel of the place, before the crowds come in. Preparations were underway and an expectant buzz in the air with the sounds of the organizers scampering around in the background.
We were taken on a guided tour of the hospitality boxes and media center. The hospitality boxes were purpose-built and immaculately constructed while the media center saw journalists busy in action as they were readying themselves for the week to come.
Having settled into our seats for the opening ceremony, I was thrilled to see Shivani Amineni finishing as runner-up in the U-16 category of the WTA Future Stars in the build-up to the main event. The opening ceremony in itself was an audio-visual treat and helped to raise the excitement in the crowd prior to the tennis action.
Madison Keys of USA, the youngest player in the draw at 21 was set to take on World No. 4 Simona Halep in the first match of the tournament. The crowd favoured the Romanian Halep, who didn’t disappoint with a flawless performance, brushing aside the American who was making her debut in straight sets.
Having paid big money to watch high-quality tennis, there were murmurs of disappointment as Keys’ performance was littered with unforced errors and prevented a great flow in the contest.
‘The best seat in the house’ is a cliche often overused, but I truly believed I did sit in the best possible seat to enjoy the match to come. World No.1 Angelique Kerber was to take on World No. 8 Dominika Cibulkova.
The match would turn out to be a classic as both players gave it their all in a quest to gain some momentum at the start of the tournament. It was a match that enthralled the crowd and had them rooted to the seat as it swung from one way to the other, with neither player giving up an inch before Kerber showed why she was World No.1, overcoming Cibulkova, despite not playing her best tennis.
24.10.16
WTA Finals, day 2
We travelled to the Tiang Bahru market for a taste of the local favour, and I was delighted to try a couple of Bib Gourmand Michelin Star rated stalls that offered local cuisine at an irresistible rate.
After brunch, it was back to the Singapore Sports Hub for a guided tour of the entire facility there. The crown jewel in the hub, is the newly-constructed Singapore national stadium, an incredibly impressive looking 55,000 seater that replaced the existing National Stadium in Kallang.
The stadium boasts of an 880-metre concourse around the course of the stadium that branches out to a number of other sporting facilities, including the aquatic complex and the Singapore Indoor Stadium, where the WTA Finals were taking place.
While the tennis blew me away, the meticulously constructed Singapore National Stadium will always remain with me as one of the most impressive structures I have seen in my life. Being a Sports Management student, the detail put into creating a stadium, that would serve as a matter of national pride while catering to the needs of the public amazed me.
Having walked a good 4 kilometers, we drove nearby for some Malaysian food, which quite reminded me of the food back home, as I dug into (with my hands) to the soothing meal.
After which it was back to the Singapore Indoor Stadium, which is absolutely splendid as well. The entrance to the stadium was adorned with purple carpets, and once you entered, you almost felt like you were walking into a movie hall, as another curtain parts to let you enter and get seated among the 10,000 strong capacity crowd.
The indoor stadium is temperature controlled and the seats are comfortable enough to enable you to have a superb experience. Defending champion and World No.2 Agnieszka Radwanska delighted the crowd with her unique strokeplay, but fell short to the fiesty and experienced Svetlana Kuznetsova.
In the final match that I got to watch, 2016 French Open winner lost a closely fought contest to Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic.
25.10.16
Back home
I spent the last day strolling around the streets of Singapore, taking the sights and sounds in for one last time. As I boarded the Singapore Airlines flight back home, I had plenty to reflect upon during the 4-hour journey. More than a week after the trip, it remains fresh in my memory, being a testament to the incredible treatment I received there.
Goodbye Singapore, until next time.
