WTA Finals comes up with Family Day programme to draw more fans

SINGAPORE — In a bid to draw more families to the event, this year’s BNP Paribas Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Finals Singapore, which will be held from Oct 23-30, will feature a Family Day on the opening Sunday of the eight-day tournament for the first time.

According to the organisers, spectators will get to enjoy a slew of entertainment experiences on Family Day, including a meet-and-greet with Nickelodeon characters SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star, and percussion performances by Samba Masala.

There will also be interactive LEGO art displays as well as brick-building workshops conducted by Nicholas Foo, one of just 13 certified LEGO certified professionals in the world, as well as a street dog adoption drive.

All attendees will also receive a “passport” to access selected activities during the prestigious WTA year-ender, as well as a meet-and-greet session with WTA legends. The Family Day festivities will start from 11am at the OCBC Square, and entry is free.

Sarah Clements, vice-president of tennis in Asia at Lagardère Sports, said: “We’re delighted to have an opening Family Day At The Tennis programme that gives fans the opportunity to spend quality time with their loved ones while enjoying world-class tennis.

“The activities and performances at the Fan Village and on Centre Court ensure that fans both with and without tickets can enjoy a tennis-themed day out at the WTA Finals, epitomising the spirit and inclusivity of the sport.”

The Family Day At The Tennis programme will be put together by Beatrice Chia and Michael Chiang who have worked on theatre productions and previous editions of the National Day Parade (NDP). Former actress Chia was the creative director of this year’s NDP, as well as the SEA Games last year, while playwright Chiang was the scriptwriter for the 2010 and 2014 NDPs.

The US$7 million (S$9.4 million) WTA Finals will feature the top eight singles and top eight doubles pairs in the women’s tennis tour over the season.

So far, the world’s top two players — Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber — have already qualified for the tournament. Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza, the world’s top doubles pair, have also clinched their spots.