Right after Formula One motor racing in the city and the hosting of five-times World Cup soccer champions Brazil in a sold-out new national stadium, Singapore has pulled off another coup that benefits its image.

Singapore cannot get enough of sport at the moment. Hot on the heels of Formula One motor racing in the city and the hosting of five-times World Cup soccer champions Brazil in a sold-out new national stadium, Singapore has pulled off yet another coup.  An elite group of ultra high net worth sportswomen spent last week in the Asia wealth management hub fighting hard to add to their already substantial financial assets.

On Sunday night Serena Williams pocketed just over $2.0 million in prize money to enhance her on-court career earnings of around $62 million. Her World Tennis Association prize money rankings put her top this year at $6.82 million, ahead of Maria Sharapova, at $5.156 million. However, as S Williams is a US citizen, it is unlikely she is on the list of potential clients of private banks, given the long reach of the Internal Revenue Service. Even so, such a parade of sporting skill - and the wealth it generates - adds a lot to Singapore's image at a time when such financial centres are battling it out for regional supremacy.

Some $6.5 million prize money was up for grabs divided by the top 8 ladies in the WTA rankings. Maria Sharapova, Caroline Wozniaki et al were high-profile figures across Singapore all week.    

For Singapore Inc, as it were, the tournament was a win-win scenario. The immense global TV audience was treated to sumptuous night-time and daytime vistas of the Lion City.

With luminaries such as Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, together with the earlier mentioned Williams all waxing lyrically about the virtues of the host nation, it does Singapore a lot of good to be associated with top sporting stars.

French bank and perennial tennis sponsor and supporter BNP Paribas was another winner in the marketing stakes and by being associated with such a prestigious global event has done its branding no harm. Rumours abounded that the price for getting on board as a main sponsor was not cheap.

The WTA has signed a contract with Singapore to host the end of season showcase for another four years and no doubt inflation and more high-end sponsors will add even more digits to the attractive purse.