The postponement of the Chennai Open women’s singles final due to deteriorating air quality has once again brought the impact of pollution on international sporting events in India into focus, with players raising concerns over health and safety.
The WTA 250 final between Indonesia’s Janice Tjen and Poland’s Magda Linette was scheduled to take place on November 8 at the SDAT Tennis Stadium in Chennai. However, heavy rain delayed proceedings before smoke from Diwali fireworks engulfed the venue, reducing visibility and raising concerns about air quality.
After several delays, organisers eventually postponed the final to November 9, when the players returned to the court at 11 am.
The decision followed concerns raised by both finalists over the conditions at the venue. Tjen, the defending champion shared a post by her coach Chris Bint on Instagram showing thick smoke around the stadium alongside an air-quality reading of 1,556.
The Indonesian player captioned the post, “And they still wanted the match to go ahead.”
However, the reading came from a private monitoring platform and differed significantly from government monitoring figures. The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board reported an average reading of 178 for Chennai at around 10 pm, while the Central Pollution Control Board’s Sameer application reported a city reading of 138.
Speaking after the final, Tjen said both players were in agreement that postponing the match was the right decision.
“I think me and Magda had the same way of thinking: it is better for us to play today instead of last night, because at the end of the day, it is not healthy for any of us, not just for us,” she said.
Linette also stressed that the decision was about the health of everyone present at the venue, including players, officials, ball kids and spectators.
“We didn’t mind the crackers because of the noise. It was more about the pollution and the health factor,” Linette said.
She added that the players had discussed the situation after being shown the air-quality readings and agreed that continuing under those conditions would not be appropriate.
The Polish player also pointed towards the need for better scheduling, suggesting that the final should have been held earlier in the day, before the fireworks intensified.
Linette eventually won the final 5-7, 6-1, 6-4, claiming her fourth WTA singles title.
The Chennai Open incident is not the first time international athletes have raised concerns about pollution while competing in India.
At the 2026 India Open badminton tournament in New Delhi, Danish shuttler Anders Antonsen withdrew from the competition for the third consecutive year, citing what he described as extreme pollution in the national capital.
“Due to the extreme pollution in Delhi at the moment, I don’t think it’s a place to host a badminton tournament,” Antonsen wrote on Instagram.
He also shared an air-quality reading of 348 and said the Badminton World Federation (BWF) had fined him USD 5,000 following his withdrawal.
His concerns came a day after fellow Danish shuttler Mia Blichfeldt criticised the playing conditions at the tournament, raising questions about pollution and the maintenance of the stadium.
The criticism had also surfaced during the 2025 edition of the India Open, when Blichfeldt said she had fallen ill during the tournament for the second consecutive year.
“It’s not fair to anyone that we have to train and play in smog, birds shitting on the courts, and dirt everywhere. These conditions are too unhealthy and unacceptable,” she wrote in an Instagram post.
The Badminton Association of India subsequently said it was exploring alternative venues for future editions of the tournament in consultation with the international governing body.
Pollution-related disruptions have also affected cricket in the country. During the third Test between India and Sri Lanka at Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in December 2017, Sri Lankan players took to the field wearing anti-pollution masks as thick smog affected proceedings.
Play was interrupted several times, while Sri Lankan players Lahiru Gamage and Suranga Lakmal experienced breathing difficulties. Sri Lanka coach Nic Pothas later said some players had vomited and that oxygen cylinders were available in the dressing room.
While the Chennai Open final was eventually completed after a day’s delay, the players’ concerns have renewed questions about the responsibility of tournament organisers to account for environmental conditions while scheduling major sporting competitions.
