WTA releases 2017 calendar

The WTA announced on Monday its calendar for the 2017 season as well as a recent addition to the 2016 calendar.

The 2017 WTA season is comprised of 23 WTA Premier and 33 International events, with all roads leading to the season finale at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, followed by the WTA Elite Trophy in Zhuhai.

Beginning in 2017, WTA Media, together with WTA tournaments, will produce all main draw singles matches and the semifinals and finals of all doubles matches.

“The 2017 season promises to be the WTA’s most exciting year to date, building on the existing cornerstones of the women’s tour,” said Steve Simon, WTA CEO.

“With more fans than ever accessing our sport to watch an unprecedented depth of player field, the WTA promises another intense race on the Road to Singapore in 2017.”

So what’s new? A quick summary:

• St Petersburg Ladies Trophy (Russia) and Taiwan Open (Kaohsiung): switches to week 5 (from week 6), beginning 30 January
• Qatar Total Open (Doha): Premier event, switches to week 7 (from week 8), beginning 13 February
• Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships: Premier 5 event, switches to week 8 (from week 7), beginning 20 February
• Rio Open (Brazil): switches to week 8 (from week 7), beginning 20 February
• Abierto Mexicano TELCEL presented by HSBC (Acapulco, Mexico) switches to week 9 (from week 8), beginning 27 February
• Abierto Monterrey Afirme (Mexico): switches to week 14 (from week 9), beginning 3 April, after the Miami Open
• Jiangxi Open (Nanchang, China): switches to week 30 (from week 31), beginning 24 July
• Bank of the West Classic (Stanford), Rogers Cup (Toronto), Western and Southern Open (Cincinnati) and Connecticut Open presented by United Technologies (New Haven): return to consecutive weeks, beginning 31 July after dates shifted in 2016 due to Olympic Games

Ahead of 2017, a new addition to the 2016 calendar – the Ladies Championship Gstaad, Switzerland – will replace the Nurnberger Gastein Ladies International tournament, held in Bad Gastein since 2007.

This year’s Gstaad event will be held 9-17 July, the first women’s tennis event in Switzerland since the Zurich Open in 2008.

The event couldn’t be returning to Switzerland at a better time, with Swiss tennis going through a golden era –  both Belinda Bencic and Timea Bacsinszky are ranked inside the Top 20 while Martina Hingis is the doubles world No.1.

The 2016 WTA calendar also introduces the Mallorca Open (13-19 June) – a new addition to the grass court season – while the Louisville International Open in host city Louisville, Kentucky, USA, will offer an additional final hard court tune-up in August before the final Grand Slam of the year at the US Open.