Tennis: S'pore out to put on a good show

ISTANBUL - Singapore came to Istanbul prepared to impress in introducing itself as the next host city of the WTA Championships.

At a luncheon hosted on Friday by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Singapore Sports Council (SSC) and World Sport Group, the Singapore team pulled out all the stops to give some 100 people, half of which were from the international media, a taste - literally - of the Republic.

A mixologist was flown in from Singapore to prepare signature cocktails like the Singapore Sling, but also the "Aces in Bloom", a drink specially created for the WTA Championships in Singapore, while pineapple tarts were dished out to the group of about 100 that turned up at the Renaissance Polat Hotel.

Staff from the STB and SSC were even decked out in traditional sarong kebayas.

STB chief executive Lionel Yeo also announced that the winner of the Singapore edition of the season-ending tournament will have an orchid named after her.

He said: "We thought this was a great opportunity to... build up some anticipation about the championships that will be held in Singapore for the next five years.

"We're really trying to think of ways in which we can make the event special."

One player who is already sold on Singapore is American world No. 11 Sloane Stephens. She said: "Caroline (Wozniacki, the former world No. 1) and I were talking about it and she was saying the hotels are amazing, there's so much shopping, there's so much to do... and I'm like, 'Well I need to make it (there) next year'."

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