SINGAPORE - Following the conclusion of the fifth and final edition of the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, the honor of being host city of the WTA Finals was officially handed over from Singapore to Shenzhen, China at a symbolic ceremony held at the National Gallery Singapore on Monday morning.

Present to celebrate the handover of the crown jewel of women’s tennis from one dynamic city to the next were officials and executives from Singapore, Shenzhen and WTA, as well as the 2018 WTA Finals singles champion Elina Svitolina and doubles champions Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic.

Shenzhen was officially announced as the host city for the 2019-2028 WTA Finals in January of this year. 

Svitolina, Babos and Mladenovic at the handover ceremony for the WTA Finals. (©Jimmie48/WTA)

"It gives me great pleasure to announce that the dynamic city of Shenzhen has been chosen to host the WTA Finals, the WTA's crown jewel season finale, for the next decade,” said Steve Simon, WTA CEO and Chairman at January's announcement.

"This will easily be the largest and most significant WTA Finals deal in the 45 years since the WTA was founded and promises to take the event to a spectacular new level.”

As the first city in Asia-Pacific to host the event, Singapore’s staging of the WTA Finals was historic and made a lasting impact not just locally but also in the region.

2019 will mark the 49th staging of the WTA Finals, while Shenzhen will be the 10th city and second in Asia-Pacific to host the tournament.

It follows Boca Raton (1972-1973), Los Angeles (1974-1976, 2002-2005), Oakland (1978), New York City (1977, 1979-2000), Munich (2001), Madrid (2006-2007), Doha (2008-2010), Istanbul (2011-2013) and Singapore (2014-2018).