Beijing draw: Sabalenka, Pegula headline pivotal WTA 1000 showdown in China

BEIJING -- US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka

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Beijing: Scores | Order of Play | Draws

Main-draw play begins on Wednesday, Sept. 25. The top 32 seeds receive a first-round bye.

Defending champion and World No.1 Iga Swiatek

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First quarter

Fresh off her second major title of the year at the US Open, World No.2 Sabalenka is seeded No.1 in Beijing and will open against either a qualifier or lucky loser. She is a two-time quarterfinalist in Beijing and goes into the final weeks of the season with an eye toward chasing down No.1 Swiatek to finish the year atop the PIF WTA Rankings. Both Swiatek and Sabalenka have already secured qualification for the WTA Finals in Riyadh. 

Sabalenka and Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova

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Looming in the top quarter is Seoul champion Beatriz Haddad Maia

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Second quarter

World No.5 Jasmine Paolini

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Playing her first tournament on home soil this year, Zheng was scheduled to face Emma Raducanu

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Zheng enters the week at No.9 on the Race. The final weeks of the season will prove pivotal for Zheng as she chases qualification for her first WTA Finals. She trails the No.8 spot by 108 points, behind Danielle Collins

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Third quarter

No.6 Coco Gauff

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2019 champion Naomi Osaka

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Fourth quarter

No.2 seed Jessica Pegula

View Profile and No.6 seed Emma Navarro

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Pegula was a finalist at the WTA Finals in Cancun last year. She enters the week at No.5 on the Race and is trying to lock up qualification for her third straight year-end championship.