2016 Aircel Chennai Open: Can Stan Wawrinka win his third straight title?
Few things can compare to the beauty of a sporting event that has pioneered the development of a sport in a country over 20 years, embracing change, setting new benchmarks, and maturing into a platform that is respected by leading tennis players across the world. That’s the Aircel Chennai Open, a tournament that is celebrating 20 victorious years in Chennai, between 4 and 10 January 2016.
An exceptional line-up of top talent is preparing to honor the spirit of tennis in India at the $480,000 prize money event that continues to be South Asia’s only and India’s premier ATP tournament. Cutting off at 94, the impressive player field for the region’s most exciting and hard-fought tennis tournament will see World No. 4 Stan Wawrinka, Chennai-debutant World No. 12 Kevin Anderson, World no. 19 and ATP’s Comeback Player Of The Year 2015 Benoit Paire, World No. 25 Roberto Bautista-Agut, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Gilles Muller, Vasek Pospisil, Borna Coric and Aljaz Bedene representing nine players from amongst the top 50 in the world.
At the forefront will be two-time Grand Slam champion, Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka who will defend his title at the Aircel Chennai Open 2016. This will mark Stan’s eighth visit to Chennai, as he will be looking forward to claiming a hat-trick of championship wins come January. In June this year, Stan won his second Grand Slam - the French Open - at Roland Garros against World No. 1 Novak Djokovic. Wawrinka won four titles during the year, and qualified for the year-ending ATP World Tour Finals for the third year in a row, reaching the semi-finals in all his appearances at London.
Current world no. 12 and big serving, Kevin Anderson, will be making his debut in Chennai. The top-ranked South African player will start the new season on the back of a career high top-10 ranking in 2015, and a maiden entry in the quarter-finals of the US Open after defeating current world No. 2 Andy Murray. Earlier in the year, he took on world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in a grueling 5-setter at Wimbledon, winning the first two sets in what stunned the tennis world. The year then saw Anderson have a fine run at the US Open where he shocked Murray in a four-setter before losing to Stan Wawrinka in the quarter-finals. Towering at a staggering 6’8”, Anderson will be looking to avenge his defeat with a possible clash with defending champion Wawrinka at Chennai.
India’s challenge will be led by Yuki Bhambri, India’s leading singles player, who broke into the top-100 earlier this year. Yuki reached a career-high of 88 earlier this month, before closing the year at an impressive 91.
Speaking on the announcement, Tom Annear, Tournament Director, Aircel Chennai Open said, “Every edition of this prestigious tournament has been inimitable and special for us but this time around, we are celebrating 20 years of the event in Chennai, its home city, and look forward to putting together an exceptional event we are certain fans will enjoy. An outstanding player field is one feature of the event we’re proud to reveal to you today.”
Sankara Narayanan K, Strategic Business Unit Head - Aircel South, said, “Aircel is honoured to have hosted India’s premier tennis tournament, the Aircel Chennai Open for six successful editions. Over the years, the tournament is primarily responsible for building a positive image for the sport in India and we are delighted to have played a part in this progress and growth. We welcome the world’s leading tennis players to what promises to be another scintillating season of sporting tennis action.”
M.A Alagappan, President of Tamil Nadu Tennis Association said, “The Aircel Chennai Open has grown from strength to strength with each passing year, and continues to be an enduring and respected part of India’s sporting fabric. As we gear up to host the 20th edition in Chennai, we express our gratitude to the Government of Tamil Nadu for their unstinting support. The world’s leading tennis players are once again going to set foot in the city and we express our appreciation to them because they are the reason behind successful tournaments, thrilling fans year after year.”
Ashu Jindal, Chief Operating Officer, IMG Reliance said,
We are excited to present a highly competitive line-up of players yet again. The field includes Chennai’s favorite and world no. 4 Stan Wawrinka, World no.12 Kevin Anderson and it’s great to see Yuki make the cut for the main draw. At IMG Reliance, we thank the Tamil Nadu Tennis Association, Government of Tamil Nadu, our sponsors, and the many organizations and individuals who continue to provide critical and invaluable support to the Aircel Chennai Open
The Title Sponsor for the tournament is Aircel and the event is supported by a consortium of sponsors in the Platinum and Gold category, headed by the Government of Tamil Nadu.