WTA China Open
The China Open 2026 runs from 30 September to 11 October at the China National Tennis Center in Beijing, and it opens the Asian run that continues at the Wuhan Open and ends at the WTA Finals. With eight places at the WTA Finals still unsettled, Beijing is where most of the qualification maths gets resolved.
Result, 11 October: the wildcard Zheng Qinwen won the title, beating Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 in the final. She is the first Chinese player to win the China Open since it began in 2004. Our final preview and the winners list have the detail, and the preview below was written before the tournament.
When Is the China Open 2026?
| Detail | Info |
| Dates | 30 September – 11 October 2026 |
| Venue | China National Tennis Center, Beijing |
| Main court | Diamond Court (15,000 capacity) |
| Surface | Hard court (outdoor) |
| Category | WTA 1000, one of ten mandatory events |
| Champion earns | 1,000 ranking points |
Beijing is played over nearly two weeks rather than the single week most WTA 1000s get, which gives the draw a Grand Slam-like rhythm with days off between rounds. The China National Tennis Center has hosted the event since 2009, and its Diamond Court is the biggest show court anywhere on the Asian swing.
What Is at Stake: the Race to the WTA Finals
Beijing is one of the last 1,000-point opportunities of the season, which is why it so often decides the closing places at the WTA Finals. Qualification runs on the Race to the WTA Finals, a season-only table that resets every January, so nothing carries over from last year.
The field matters as much as the draw this year. Jessica Pegula, third in the Race in mid-September, is not in Beijing, which gives the players chasing the last qualifying places a chance to close on her. The live standings are on our Race to the WTA Finals page.
The Seeds
The top 32 seeds have a first-round bye in the 96-player draw. Amanda Anisimova, the 2025 champion, is not in the field, and neither are Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Emma Navarro, Marta Kostyuk or Sorana Cirstea, so there will be a new champion in Beijing.
| Seed | Player | Ranking |
| 1 | Elena Rybakina | 1 |
| 2 | Aryna Sabalenka | 2 |
| 3 | Coco Gauff | 4 |
| 4 | Mirra Andreeva | 5 |
| 5 | Linda Nosková | 6 |
| 6 | Elina Svitolina | 7 |
| 7 | Karolína Muchová | 8 |
| 8 | Iga Świątek | 9 |
| 9 | Belinda Bencic | 12 |
| 10 | Iva Jovic | 13 |
| 11 | Diana Shnaider | 14 |
| 12 | Naomi Osaka | 17 |
| 13 | Elise Mertens | 19 |
| 14 | Jasmine Paolini | 20 |
| 15 | Anna Kalinskaya | 21 |
| 16 | Anastasia Potapova | 24 |
Rankings as printed on the WTA draw sheet, released 30 September 2026.
The Draw, Quarter by Quarter
Rybakina and Svitolina in the top quarter
The world No. 1 and US Open champion opens against Yuliia Starodubtseva or Alina Charaeva. Elina Svitolina, the No. 6 seed, is the other seed at the bottom of the section, with Belinda Bencic (9), Anna Kalinskaya (15) and Marie Bouzková (18) in between. The home favourite Zheng Qinwen, on a wildcard, plays the qualifier Han Shi for a place against Kalinskaya, and Britain’s Sonay Kartal meets the qualifier Andrea Lázaro García.
Gauff and Świątek in the second quarter
Coco Gauff, the No. 3 seed, opens against Lanlana Tararudee or Camila Osorio, and Iga Świątek (8) against the wildcard Xinyu Gao or Panna Udvardy. Iva Jovic (10) waits for the winner of Britain’s Harriet Dart, a qualifier, and the wildcard Yihan Qu. Leylah Fernandez, who won the Singapore Tennis Open the week before, is seeded 23rd, and Elise Mertens (13) is also here.
Nosková and Andreeva in the third quarter
Linda Nosková, the Wimbledon champion and No. 5 seed, plays Elena-Gabriela Ruse, who beat Lilli Tagger 6-4, 6-2. Mirra Andreeva (4) meets the wildcard Yue Yuan, a 6-2, 6-3 winner over Oleksandra Oliynykova, and Jasmine Paolini (14) faces Daria Snigur. Talia Gibson, the Singapore runner-up, lost her opener 6-1, 6-4 to the qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
Sabalenka and Muchová in the bottom quarter
Aryna Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, opens against Anna Bondar or Renata Zarazúa. Karolína Muchová (7) plays Britain’s Katie Boulter, who beat the qualifier Mai Hontama 6-3, 6-4 in the first round. Naomi Osaka (12) meets Maria Timofeeva, and Maja Chwalińska (17) faces Dayana Yastremska.
The Asian Swing
Beijing opens the run that decides the season. The Wuhan Open follows from 12 October, and the WTA Finals close things out from 8 to 15 November at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, a change of venue for this edition. For the men, the equivalent stretch runs through Shanghai and Paris into the Race to Turin.
How to Watch the China Open 2026
In the UK, WTA 1000 coverage is on Sky Sports Tennis and available through NOW passes. Beijing’s time zone puts most matches in the UK morning and early afternoon. Our full tennis live streaming guide has the detail.
FAQ
China Open 2026 FAQs
When is the China Open 2026?
From 30 September to 11 October 2026 at the China National Tennis Center in Beijing.
What level is the China Open?
It is a WTA 1000, one of the ten mandatory events at that tier. The champion earns 1,000 ranking points.
Why does Beijing matter for the WTA Finals?
It is one of the last big points opportunities of the season, so it usually settles the closing places in the Race to the WTA Finals.
Who are the top seeds at the China Open 2026?
Elena Rybakina is the No. 1 seed, ahead of Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva. Amanda Anisimova, the 2025 champion, is not in the field.
More Coverage
- China Open betting tips for the outright markets, the China Open hub: dates, venue and qualification context
- Race to the WTA Finals: the live qualification table
- Wuhan Open: next on the Asian swing, from 12 October
- WTA Finals 2026: Indian Wells, 8–15 November
- WTA rankings · ATP rankings
- Every tournament we cover · 2026 tennis calendar
- Andreeva v Zheng: China Open final preview, Sunday 11 October