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Elise Mertens clinches singles title at inaugural Singapore Tennis Open

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1 year ago

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  • Close to 22,000 tennis fans flocked to Kallang Tennis Hub across nine days
  • Second-seed Elise Mertens bested Ann Li to claim her 9th career WTA singles title
  • Desirae Krawczyk and Giuliana Olmos claimed victory in a thrilling Doubles Final

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 February 2025 – Elise Mertens and the pair of Desirae Krawczyk/Giuliana Olmos have claimed the inaugural Singapore Tennis Open (STO) Singles and Doubles titles respectively.

Second-seed Mertens secured her 9th career WTA singles title – her first since Monastir 2023 – following a clinical final against Ann Li. Mertens bagged the win with straight sets, 6-1, 6-4, in 82 minutes.
 
Having dropped only one set in the four prior matches throughout the tournament, Mertens was raring to go in the final. Her opponent, Li, entered the match flawlessly without dropping a set, using her all-court skills to dispatch her opponents all week. The title decider began with a masterclass from Mertens, outplaying her American opponent to seal the opening set in a mere 26 minutes. The Belgian quickly went up 2-0 in the second set. With the title seeming out of her grasp, Li looked to stage a comeback, breaking Mertens’ serve back and bringing the set to two games all. Ultimately, Mertens’ solid baseline game prevailed, falling to the Kallang Tennis Hub court as she took home the STO Singles crown.

Krawczyk and Olmos faced strong opposition all week, with four of seven sets played going to 7-5 or 7-6. However, their tactful net play and clutch serving in critical moments secured them a spot in the final where they raced to an early 3-0 lead. In spite of their opponents, Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai, displaying a strong fighting spirit, a late charge saw the American-Mexican pair clinch the first set 7-5. They carried this momentum into the second set, storming their way to a 6-0 victory for the pair to claim their first title together in almost five years.

Please see the full run-down of the tournament scores here.

Mertens celebrates, “This was the first time the (Singapore Tennis Open) was organised and it was incredibly well-run. I hope to come back next year to defend my title and my points – but for now, I’m going to enjoy this victory. Singapore is an amazing city – the people are so friendly and our stay at the Hilton was a fantastic experience. The weather held up well, and everyone was so helpful. Tennis-wise, I feel like I’ve grown. My movement felt strong, and I played with confidence. This is my ninth title, and winning here has created such great memories and energy.”

Krawczyk and Olmos said, “Thank you to everyone who came out. Not just today, but the whole week. It’s nice to have a full stadium with all the fans. It’s a great atmosphere for us and we really appreciate it. We just wanted to go out on the court and play our game…and just enjoy being on the court together, having fun and…competing hard. (Singapore) has been enjoyable, very welcoming. Thank you to all the fans!”

A Tournament to Remember

Overall, close to 22,000 fans, enthusiasts and spectators flowed through the Kallang Tennis Hub, across nine days to indulge in the inaugural STO and its activities. Tennis fans in Singapore were treated to hard-hitting action and bustling community activities at the Kallang Tennis Hub this past week. They not only witnessed world-class gameplay but also soaked in the lively atmosphere at the Fan Village with meet-and-greet with WTA players and tennis-related activities. Adding to the excitement, the inaugural Singapore Tennis Invitational Cup (STIC) saw the finest tennis talents from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Cambodia take to the courts ahead of the 2025 SEA Games.

The inaugural STO saw tennis lovers catch world-class tennis action that once again returned to Singapore shores. This tournament is part of the 2025 Hologic WTA Tour calendar, which features over 50 tournaments that will be played across 26 countries and regions. Set to return for two more years in 2026 and 2027, the STO marks a momentous beginning to thrilling tennis action and exciting fan engagement.

Hyping the Community Up

Over nine days, fans were able to get up close and personal with the likes of Anna Kalinskaya, Oksana Kalashnikova, Nao Hibino and Wang Xinyu at meet-and-greets, and pick up tips from STO Community Ambassadors Tamarine Tanasugarn and Yayuk Basuki at tennis clinics. Both are top-ranked players from Thailand and Indonesia respectively, and competed on the WTA tour in the past. With varied activities for all ages, the tournament programme was intentionally designed to celebrate tennis, engage fans, and grow interest in the sport.

More than 700 students also embarked on guided learning journeys at the STO, exploring venue logistics, event operations, and sports management behind the scenes. The tours included stops at the Singapore Sports Museum, WTA Finals commemorative art sculpture, and a centre court seat for these students to enjoy live tennis action.

Shaping the Future of Tennis in Southeast Asia

The past week also saw our region’s best face off in a round-robin format at the Kallang Tennis Hub outdoor courts in the first-ever STIC, organised by Singapore Tennis Association (STA) in partnership with Kallang Alive Sport Management (KASM). Singapore emerged victorious in the STIC final, edging past Indonesia with a 3-2 scoreline.

With back-to-back victories in the Men’s and Women’s singles matches, Singapore took a crucial 2-1 lead heading into the Men’s Doubles final. Singaporean duo, Daniel Abadia and Michael Dylan Jimenez, rose to the occasion in a hard-fought battle against Indonesia, delivering the Cup-clinching victory. Malaysia secured third place, defeating Cambodia 5-0. Team Singapore’s Lynelle Lim, Audrey Tong, and Eva Marie Desvignes were also awarded wildcards for the STO singles qualifying matches. Details here.

ABOUT SINGAPORE SPORTS HUB
Singapore Sports Hub is an iconic, premier destination offering sporting, entertainment and lifestyle experiences for all to enjoy. This world-class development is managed by Kallang Alive Sport Management Co Pte Ltd (KASM). It offers programming that comprises international recreational and competitive events, live entertainment as well as activities that cater to the broader community. The Singapore Sports Hub aims to serve the sporting and entertainment needs of people from all walks of life.

Home to unique world-class sports facilities within the city, the Singapore Sports Hub plays a critical role in accelerating the development of Singapore’s sports industry, excellence and participation. Located in Kallang, the Singapore Sports Hub includes the following facilities:

  • A 55,000-capacity National Stadium with a retractable roof and movable tiered seating
  • A 12,000-capacity Singapore Indoor Stadium with pillarless interior
  • A 6,000-capacity OCBC Aquatic Centre that meets FINA standards
  • A 3,000-capacity OCBC Arena which is scalable and flexible in layout
  • Kallang Tennis Hub, Singapore’s first international tournament-ready indoor tennis facility
  • Kallang Football Hub housing Singapore’s National Training Centre for football
  • Water Sports Centre featuring kayaking and canoeing
  • 41,000 sqm Kallang Wave Mall, including indoor climbing wall and Splash-N-Surf facility (Kids Waterpark, Stingray and Lazy River)
  • 100PLUS Promenade that encircles the National Stadium
  • Singapore Youth Olympic Museum & Singapore Sports Museum
  • Shimano Cycling World
  • Daily community facilities and activities, including beach volleyball, hard courts (futsal, basketball and netball) lawn bowls, giant chess, skate park and running & cycling paths.

For more information, please visit the Singapore Sports Hub:
Website: www.sportshub.com.sg
Facebook: @sgsportshub
Instagram: @sgsportshub
LinkedIn: @Singapore Sports Hub
X: @sgsportshub
TikTok: @sgsportshub
 



 

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Africa’s Grid Constraints Come into Focus as Regional Markets Push Toward Integration

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4 days ago

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June 26, 2026

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Africa

Regional power pools are advancing and renewable pipelines are growing, but the regulatory and financial architecture needed to connect them remains the continent’s most critical infrastructure gap – an issue central to the Power Africa Today conference at AEW 2026

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, June 25, 2026/APO Group/ –Africa’s electricity demand is projected to nearly double to 2,291 TWh by 2050, requiring an estimated $30 billion in transmission and grid infrastructure investment to unlock and integrate new generation capacity. Yet across the continent, grid systems are struggling to keep pace with rapidly expanding supply pipelines and rising demand.

In Nigeria, repeated nationwide grid collapses as recently as February 2026 underscore the fragility of aging transmission infrastructure. In East Africa, tower failures along the 428 km Loiyangalani-Suswa line temporarily stranded output from Lake Turkana Wind Power – Africa’s largest wind installation. Meanwhile, demand growth pressures are accelerating across North Africa, where electricity consumption is expected to rise by around 50% by 2035, driven by urbanization, desalination projects, and climate-related temperature increases.

Despite these constraints, generation investment continues to accelerate across Africa, particularly in renewables, gas-to-power and hybrid systems. However, without equivalent investment in transmission and interconnection, much of this new capacity risks being underutilized or stranded. This growing imbalance between generation and grid capacity is driving a sharper focus on system-wide planning and regional market design – issues that will be central to the newly launched Power Africa Today conference at African Energy Week 2026. The platform will bring together policymakers, utilities, investors and developers to explore how regional interconnection, cross-border trading frameworks and financing structures can better align generation growth with grid expansion.

Power Markets Experiment with Reform

Alongside infrastructure challenges, Africa’s electricity sector is undergoing gradual – but uneven – market reform. Most countries still operate vertically integrated systems dominated by state utilities, but a growing number are introducing competitive frameworks to attract private capital and improve efficiency.

Zimbabwe opened its electricity market to full private participation across generation, transmission and distribution in 2025, targeting $9 billion in new investment. South Africa is advancing one of the continent’s most ambitious grid expansion programs, with plans for 14,500 km of new transmission lines and 133,000 MVA of transformer capacity by 2034, alongside mechanisms designed to crowd in private financing. Kenya, meanwhile, has introduced open access regulations enabling independent power producers to wheel electricity directly to multiple off-takers, reshaping how generation assets interface with the grid.

Interconnected electricity markets are the foundation of Africa’s industrial future

Regional Integration Remains Fragmented

Efforts to connect Africa’s fragmented power systems are progressing, though at different speeds across regions. In Southern Africa, the World Bank’s RETRADE SAPP program, approved in 2025, is deploying $12 million to strengthen renewable integration and transmission capacity across 12 member states. In East Africa, the Ethiopia–Kenya–Tanzania Electricity Highway is now in trial operations at up to 2,000 MW, marking a significant step toward a more interconnected regional grid.

West Africa is also moving toward deeper integration, with permanent synchronization of the West Africa Power Pool expected in 2026. Analysts, including the African Finance Corporation, argue that such synchronization is critical to unlocking large-scale hydropower potential and industrial demand across the region. Longer term, full synchronization between the Eastern and Southern African power pools – targeted for the end of 2026 – could create one of the world’s largest cross-border electricity trading corridors.

Building Bankable Financial Architectures

While interconnection is advancing, infrastructure alone is not enough to create investable electricity markets. Investors consistently cite the lack of standardized offtake structures, creditworthy counterparties, and cross-border payment guarantees as key barriers to scaling capital deployment.

New models are emerging to address these constraints. Africa GreenCo, operating across Zambia, Namibia and South Africa, is helping to aggregate independent power producers under a single creditworthy intermediary, standardizing power purchase agreements and reducing counterparty risk. At a broader level, AUDA-NEPAD estimates that Africa requires around $30 billion in additional investment to complete priority transmission corridors and establish three fully interconnected regional trading blocs by 2030.

“Interconnected electricity markets are the foundation of Africa’s industrial future,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “The question at Africa Energy Week is not whether integration is possible – the evidence is already there. The question is which regulatory frameworks and financial structures will get projects to financial close, and which markets will be ready when capital is looking to move.”

The Power Africa Today conference will run alongside AEW 2026, taking place October 12–16 in Cape Town, and will focus on the regulatory, financial and infrastructural architecture needed to build interconnected electricity markets capable of attracting institutional capital and delivering reliable, cross-border power at scale.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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African Development Bank Group and La Francophonie Sign Partnership Agreement to Promote Youth Employment in Francophone Africa

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June 26, 2026

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Remove term: African Development Bank African Development Bank

The agreement was signed during a meeting between the Secretary General of La Francophonie, Louise Mushikiwabo, and African Development Bank Group President, Dr Sidi Ould Tah in Paris, France

PARIS, France, June 25, 2026/APO Group/ –The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) and The International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) on Wednesday entered a strategic partnership to strengthen digital skills, employability, and entrepreneurship of young people and women in five African countries: Benin, Cameroon, Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Madagascar.

 

The agreement was signed during a meeting between the Secretary General of La Francophonie, Louise Mushikiwabo, and African Development Bank Group President, Dr Sidi Ould Tah in Paris, France. The agreement will address a major challenge faced by countries in the Francophone world and across Africa: providing young people with access to opportunities offered by the digital economy and fostering the emergence of a new generation of entrepreneurs.

The partnership calls for the implementation of training programs in digital professions and entrepreneurship, in fields such as web and mobile development, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data analysis. Participants will also receive guidance toward employment and self-employment, as well as support for innovation and business creation, notably through training camps, prototyping activities, and partnerships with incubators and accelerators.

The African Development Bank Group and OIF will also work with national authorities in these five countries and training institutions to sustainably strengthen local capacities and promote ownership of the programs by national stakeholders. An initial pilot phase, lasting 12 to 24 months, will be rolled out in the five partner countries, followed by a gradual expansion to other member states depending on the results achieved.

The African Development Bank Group is pursuing a bold agenda based on “Four Cardinal Points” developed by Dr Ould Tah, the third of which is ‘Turning Demographics into a Dividend.’ This is about strategically converting Africa’s rapidly growing and youthful population into a decisive engine of inclusive growth, productivity, and innovation through large-scale investment in human capital—particularly youth and women.

 

It sees Africa’s growing young population not as a risk, but as a major asset. With the right policies and investments, this potential can create jobs, help small businesses grow, bring more informal businesses into the formal economy, and equip young people with the skills needed for the future. By investing more in education, science and technology, vocational training, entrepreneurship, finance, and digital tools, Africa can help its people drive economic transformation, stay competitive, and build lasting, resilient growth.

The OIF said the agreement marked the first concrete step in its initiative to mobilize innovative and additional funding for its most impactful projects.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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Paddles up! Hong Kong marks 50 Years of international dragon boat thrills

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4 days ago

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June 26, 2026

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Hong Kong

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 25 June 2026 – With top teams from around the world gearing up for the hotly contested Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races this weekend (June 27-28), participants and spectators can expect a bumper programme of action, fun and entertainment along the Victoria Harbour waterfront in Tsim Sha Tsui – one of the city’s most vibrant districts known for its iconic skyline views and tourist attractions.

There is much to celebrate. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races as well as 35th anniversary of both the co-organiser, Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association, and the sanctioning body, International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF). The IDBF added to the occasion by announcing earlier this year the relocation of its headquarters back to Hong Kong.

Riding on the wave of excitement, the organiser, Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), extended the annual Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Festival period to 13 days (June 19 – July 1), beginning on the historic Tuen Ng Festival (Dragon Boat Festival) and concluding on July 1, which is the 29th anniversary of the Establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

As the headline international flagship event of “Hong Kong Summer Fun”, Dr Peter Lam, Chairman of the HKTB, said the Festival not only ran over a longer period, but also featured a stronger race line-up and more vibrant entertainment programmes than in previous years, offering an experience found only in Hong Kong for locals and visitors, while showcasing Hong Kong’s position as the Events Capital of Asia.

More than 220 teams from 16 countries and regions will compete for top honours in the world‑renowned setting of Victoria Harbour. This year’s event also introduces the special 50th Anniversary Fishermen Invitational Cup and the 50th Anniversary Championship, paying tribute to the traditional spirit of dragon boat racing.

Visitors will be able to enjoy a series of thematic activities along the Avenue of Stars, including a 22-metre traditional wooden dragon boat, a dragon boat-themed installation in collaboration with the new film Minions & Monsters, live music performances and a line-up of intangible cultural heritage performances, including martial art Wing Chun, Chinese juggling diabolo, traditional musical instruments ruan and guzheng.

Highlighting Hong Kong’s reputation as the birthplace of modern international dragon boat racing, as well as its strengths as a global hub city, the IDBF has taken a significant step in its long‑term global strategy with the formal incorporation of International Dragon Boat Federation Limited in Hong Kong on 29 April 2026.

“Incorporation in Hong Kong is not a conclusion, but a beginning. It anchors our Federation in the city where our international story started and strengthens our ability to serve our members and the global dragon boat family,” said Claudio Schermi, President of the IDBF.

As part of this new chapter, the IDBF has applied for funding under “the Pilot Scheme to Strengthen the Presence of Hong Kong in Asian and International Sports Associations”, which was recently introduced by the HKSAR Government’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau. The Pilot Scheme is an initiative designed to support Asian and international sports associations establishing their headquarters or regional headquarters in the city.

The Dragon Boat Festival has a long and colourful history dating back more than two thousand years. Held each year on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, the day commemorates the patriotic poet Qu Yuan.

According to legend, Qu committed suicide for his beliefs by throwing himself into the Luo River. The villagers nearby raced out on their dragon boats, banging gongs and drums to scare away fish and other underwater creatures to stop them from eating Qu’s body. The tradition continues to this day, with dragon boat competitions taking place at locations across Hong Kong, each reflecting the unique characteristics of its neighbourhood.

Traditional dragon boat treats feature prominently during the festival, notably zongzi. These glutinous rice dumplings, traditionally wrapped in bamboo leaves and steamed or boiled, are widely available during the festive period.

 

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