Current World No.1 Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka, the player who will take over the top spot next week, lead the entry list for the China Open, which begins on September 30.
All but three players in the current Top 50 have entered the last WTA 1000 event of the season. Swiatek and Sabalenka are two of nine major titlists in the main-draw field, also including reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, Elena Rybakina and Jelena Ostapenko. The absentees are Danielle Collins, Lauren Davis, and Paula Badosa, who recently announced that she was ending her season due to a back injury.
After a long wait, Aryna Sabalenka ready to take over No.1 ranking
Two players have entered using special rankings: 2021 Australian Open finalist Jennifer Brady and 2021 Roland Garros finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. The initial cut-off for the main draw is No.46, with Lesia Tsurenko the last direct acceptance. The first three main-draw alternates are Tatjana Maria, Katerina Siniakova and Wang Xinyu.
The tournament marks its 17th edition on the Hologic WTA Tour, and first since 2019, when Naomi Osaka defeated Ashleigh Barty 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the final. Osaka, who is planning to return from maternity leave in 2024, will not defend her title. Two former champions will be in this year's field -- 2012 winner Victoria Azarenka and 2017 winner Caroline Garcia. Petra Kvitova, the 2014 runner-up, will participate, and 2010 finalist Vera Zvonareva is a main-draw alternate.
