After ten years, Chisinau returns to the professional women’s tennis map. In October, the National Tennis Center of Moldova will host two consecutive Women’s World Tennis Tour W15 events. The first tournament will run from October 5 to 11, 2026, and the second from October 12 to 18. Both events will be held on the NTC’s outdoor clay courts, each featuring a $15,000 prize purse.
W15 serves as the entry level of the Women’s World Tennis Tour and an essential bridge between junior and adult professional tennis. It is at these tournaments that young players gain their first serious experience against professional competition, earn their initial ranking points, and begin paving their way to higher-tier events. For Moldovan players, hosting two consecutive weeks on home soil offers an invaluable chance to test themselves in international competition on familiar courts and in front of a home crowd.
The return of the women’s professional tour carries a meaningful historical parallel. The last tournaments of this caliber in Chisinau were held in the fall of 2016—also over two back-to-back weeks on outdoor clay. The first ran from September 26 to October 2, followed by the second from October 3 to 9, each offering a $10,000 prize pool.
Both singles titles in 2016 were claimed by 18-year-old Romanian Ilona Georgiana Ghioroaie. She won 11 consecutive matches in Chisinau, securing the very first professional singles titles of her career. Local fans particularly remember the second week when Moldova’s Adriana Sosnovschi reached the final, ultimately finishing as runner-up to Ghioroaie (3–6, 0–6).
Now, exactly a decade later, professional women’s tennis returns to a completely upgraded venue: for the first time, the competition will be hosted at the new National Tennis Center of Moldova.
Two back-to-back tournament weeks are equally convenient for international players. By traveling to Chisinau, athletes can compete in two professional events on the same surface without changing cities, hotels, or training facilities. This format is highly attractive to up-and-coming players building their professional ranking points.
The two weeks promise to be just as engaging for spectators. W15 events offer an intimate look at professional tennis up close, free from the barriers of massive grand slam arenas. Fans can watch not only main draw matches but also practice sessions, warm-ups, match prep, and live coaching. For young Moldovan juniors, it is a rare opportunity to experience the inner workings of the adult professional tour firsthand.
It is precisely at this level that many professional careers begin. Some of the competitors taking the courts this October may well be playing on the world’s biggest stages in a few years—and Chisinau fans will be able to say they saw them first on the clay courts of the National Tennis Center.
The return of the Women’s World Tennis Tour marks another key step in expanding the NTC’s international calendar. Following Tennis Europe events, team competitions, and men’s professional tournaments, the venue welcomes back another major pillar: the women’s professional tour.
Information will be published by the Moldovan Tennis Federation closer to the start of the event. Tournament registration is open via the Women’s World Tennis Tour Calendar.
The women’s professional tour returns to Chisinau after 10 years
