Poland’s Magda Linette backed the decision to postpone the Chennai Open final over health concerns caused by Diwali firecracker pollution, but felt the organisers could have planned the schedule better. The 34-year-old also ended a difficult run of form to claim her first title in more than two years, beating defending champion Janice Tjen 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 on Monday in Chennai.
The women’s singles final was originally scheduled for Sunday but was pushed back by a day after rain and poor air quality disrupted proceedings. With smog from firecrackers engulfing the city, questions were raised over the decision to schedule the final on Diwali.
The WTA had announced its 2026 calendar in October 2025, more than a year before the tournament. However, Linette felt the timing of the final could have been better.
“It was more about the pollution and the health factor. You cannot put ourselves in this hazard. It is not good for the ball kids, it is not good for anyone watching either,” she said after winnnig the title on Monday.
“I was really glad that the journalists understood that and managed to stay one more day because it was very unhealthy. We definitely wouldn’t have been able to play as well as we did today if we had played yesterday.”
While backing the postponement, the former Australian Open semi-finalist felt the match could have been scheduled earlier in the day, before the fireworks began.
“I think we should have played earlier, before the firecrackers started going off. You have to take that into consideration next time. I am really glad that we are still being hosted during the holidays, but the timeline of that day could have been better,” she said.
For Linette, the title was particularly sweet after two difficult seasons on the tour. Having reached the Australian Open semi-finals in 2023, she endured first-round exits at all four Grand Slams in 2024 and struggled to find consistency this season.
LINETTE ENDS TITLE DROUGHT
Since her first-round exit at the US Open, she had not progressed beyond the second round in five successive tournaments. She admitted that she was not even certain about travelling to Chennai until her team made the decision for her.
“I went to sleep and woke up at 11, and my team woke me up and said, ‘We are going, we have decided for you’. So I was like, okay,” she recalled.
The decision proved to be a rewarding one. Linette fought through every match to lift the trophy, showing the resilience that had been missing from her recent campaigns.
“I was really desperate this week, and I am really proud of myself. After so many tough weeks, we fought in every single match and managed to win,” she said.
The final itself was another test. After dropping a closely contested opening set, Linette regrouped to dominate the second before holding her nerve in the decider. When Tjen threatened to take control, memories of her 2022 Chennai final defeat to Linda Fruhvirtova briefly resurfaced.
“When I lost that break, I thought, ‘Not again’, because that is what happened to me last time. I am really glad I served it out a little better this time,” she said.
The victory will also take Linette back into the top 50, improving her chances of securing direct entry into the big tournaments at the start of next season.
– Ends
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