HOW IT STARTED


The first Wismilak tennis tournament was held in 1994 at the Embong Sawo Tennis Club in Surabaya. The dilapidated club which had not been used in 25 years was refurbished in four weeks for the tournament. Titled the Wismilak Open, it was a WTA Tour Tier IV women's tennis tournament offering prize money of US$107,000.

AN INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM


The tremendous response from spectators and players saw the tournament being held, under the banner of Wismilak International at the Embong Sawo Tennis Club in 1995. The unsettling political situation in Indonesia during 1998 persuaded WTA to cancel the event for security reasons. This was a major setback to the organisers who were all set to hold the tournament.

AWAY FROM HOME


The continuing political unrest in Indonesia saw the event being moved to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, in 1999 and 2000. The second year in Kuala Lumpur was a condition set by the WTA as the tour did not want to confuse players and upset the tour calendar with yearly changes of the venue. It was in Kuala Lumpur that the event became a Tier III tournament offering prize money of US$170,000.

A NEW HOME ON ISLAND OF BALI


The tournament returned to Indonesia, its home, in 2001 The move to the Grand Hyatt Nusa Dua Bali was in line with the organisers aim to promote Indonesia and primarily Bali to the world, given all the negative press the country received from the 1998 crisis. Despite the September 9/11 tragedy in New York occurring about 10 days before the tournament, players from all over the world chose to travel to Bali. The tournament had a full main draw and the number one seed was Arantxa Sanchez Vicario.

THE LARGEST EVENT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA


In 2002 the tournament increased the prize money to US$225,000 and by doing so it became the biggest WTA event in Southeast Asia. The year 2002 saw the establishment of the Bali Tennis Foundation and the sale of tickets to the tournament. The Wismilak International officials decided then that the entire tournament ticket sales go into the Foundation's fund, geared to giving the youth of Bali an opportunity to play tennis. This long term vision began to show fruition through the years as more and more Bali players show quality tennis skills including the emerging Junior champion Ayu Fani Damayanti.

A REPUTATION EARNED


From its early years up until today, Wismilak International Bali ® has justly earned the reputation of hosting excellent events; of hospitality and care of not only players but staff and volunteers alike. Even tennis journalists from around the world speak of the wonderful hospitality offered to all, around the tournament, on and off courts. It is about tennis yet it is also about girls just wanting to have fun!