China Open 2024: Women's draw, schedule, players, prize money breakdown and more
The 25th edition of the women's tournament at the China Open is set to start on September 25. World No. 1 Iga Swiatek is the defending champion but she will not compete this year after withdrawing due to personal reasons.
Australian and US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka will be a heavy favorite to triumph in Beijing, given her performances in New York and Cincinnati. Another top contender for the WTA 1000 title is second seed Jessica Pegula due to her form over the past few weeks.
The likes of Coco Gauff, Zheng Qinwen, Emma Navarro and Jasmine Paolini are also competitors who have a strong chance of going all the way in Beijing.
On that note, let's take a look at everything there is to know about this year's edition of the China Open.
What is the China Open?
The China Open is a hard-court event that takes place in Beijing and is a part of the WTA 1000 series. The inaugural edition of the women's tournament took place in 2004, with Serena Williams winning it after defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the final.
Williams, Kuznetsova, Agnieszka Radwanska and Caroline Wozniacki are the most successful players in the history of the China Open with two titles each.
Venue
The National Tennis Center in Beijing is the venue for China Open 2024.
Draw and Players
With World No. 1 Iga Swiatek not competing, Aryna Sabalenka is the top seed in Beijing and has received a bye to the second round, where she will face a qualifier. The Belarusian is currently on a 12-match winning streak, having triumphed at the US Open and the Cincinnati Open.
Second seed Jessica Pegula is another heavy favorite at the WTA 1000 event after reaching the final of the US Open and the Cincinnati Open, while winning a second straight title the Canadian Open. The 30-year-old will take on either Diane Parry or a qualifier in the second round.
Fourth seed Coco Gauff will be eager to regain her form after some disappointing performances at the North American hard-court swing. The 20-year-old will face either Caroline Dolehide or Clara Burel in the second round.
The likes of Jasmine Paolini, Zheng Qinwen, Emma Navarro, Barbora Krejcikova and Jelena Ostapenko are other players who are capable of making deep runs in Beijing.
Other players competing at the WTA 1000 event include Paula Badosa, Donna Vekic and Naomi Osaka.
Schedule
The main draw of the WTA 1000 event starts on September 25 and the women's singles final is scheduled to be played on October 6.
Prize Money
The women's singles champion at the China Open will receive a prize money of $1,100,000 while the runner-up will receive $585,000. Here is a full breakdown of the prize money at the WTA 1000 tournament:
Where to Watch
Viewers in the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, and Canada can watch the WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing live on the following channels and sites:
USA: American fans can watch the live action from the Chinese capital live on Tennis Channel.
UK: Fans in the UK can watch the WTA 1000 event live on Sky UK.
Australia: The fixtures at the China Open will be telecast on beIN Sports for fans down under.
Canada: Viewers in Canada can watch the matches on DAZN & TSN. The Frech broadcast of the tournament in the country will be on TVA.