A star-studded field heads to Beijing this week for the WTA China Open, with new world number one Elena Rybakina making her return to action after her recent success at the US Open.
The women’s China Open is a bigger field than the men’s - 96 runners instead of 32 - and therefore takes far more winning with all the leading lights gunning for glory in Beijing.
Newly-crowned world number one Rybakina tops the seedings and makes her first appearance since dethroning Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final to claim her third Grand Slam crown.
Sabalenka, now world number two, will be keen to hit back in that bludgeoning rivalry while two previous winners of the WTA 1000 event, Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek, are back for more.
Amanda Anisimova is the reigning China Open champion, but she misses her title defence with a wrist injury, while Jessica Pegula, Marta Kostyuk, Victoria Mboko, Sorana Cirstea, Alex Eala, Madison Keys and Emma Raducanu are some other stars that were forced to withdraw.
Czech talents Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova are two former runners-up that will compete in China alongside Mirra Andreeva, Naomi Osaka and home favourite Qinwen Zheng.
WTA China Open Tips Summary
Best Bet - Coco Gauff to win WTA China Open @ 4/1
Alternative Bet - Naomi Osaka to win WTA China Open @ 22/1
Alternative Bet - Qinwen Zheng to win WTA China Open @ 33/1
WTA China Open Prediction
Best Bet: Coco Gauff to win WTA China Open @ 4/1
Gauff is regularly a player that finds her best form at the end of the season and her run to the US Open semi-final hinted that her return to the winner’s enclosure could be closing in.
The American won this title in 2024 and that performance has been sandwiched between semi-final runs in 2023 and last year, showing that these conditions play to her strengths.
Gauff has been working hard on improving her serve and forehand with biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan and it is a partnership that should soon pay dividends.
The 22-year-old has reached at least the semi-final in her last four events, headlined by a Cincinnati title in the build-up to the US Open, and her consistency may be rewarded in Beijing.
She should have few concerns about reaching the quarter-finals and, while 2023 champion Swiatek may be lurking there, Gauff has won their last four meetings and is gaining the upper hand.
Rybakina would be a tough test in the semi-final but their three previous meetings have gone to a deciding set, showing that there is little between them on a hard court.
Alternative Bet: Naomi Osaka to win WTA China Open @ 22/1
Former world number one Sabalenka is the star attraction in the bottom half of the draw but the Belarusian has not won silverware since March and she has failed to go beyond the quarter-final in four previous visits to the China Open.
Sabalenka will hit top form again at some point, but the US Open runner-up looks a vulnerable favourite and Naomi Osaka could be overpriced in the fourth quarter as a result.
Osaka is still not back to the levels that saw her win four Grand Slam titles but there are still flashes of brilliance and she is finding greater consistency.
The Japanese 12th seed won this title back in 2019 and she has won 15 of her last 21 matches, which includes a run to the quarter-final at Wimbledon.
Osaka upset Sabalenka at the All England Club and, if she can see off Muchova were they to meet in the fourth round, then she could have a big say at lucrative odds.
Alternative Bet: Qinwen Zheng to win WTA China Open @ 33/1
China would love to crown a home winner in Beijing and they may have an outside chance with Qinwen Zheng, who was a semi-finalist in 2024.
Injuries have halted Zheng’s progress since then, but a run to the quarter-finals of the US Open was a step back in the right direction.
Zheng was runner-up at the Australian Open in 2024, and the former world number four is still only 23, so she should quickly climb back up the rankings.
The Chinese player defeated Madison Keys and Swiatek at the US Open, before taking eventual champion Rybakina to a deciding set in the quarter-final, and that form makes her an interesting candidate despite being a wildcard.
Key Tournament Stats
The last two China Open titles were won by an American player.
The last five winners were one of the top five seeded players.
Three Czech players have reached the final in the last nine editions.
Gauff has made at least the semi-final in all three China Open appearances.
Sabalenka has not gone past the quarter-final in four tournament starts.
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
