About the tournament
The China Open is one of the ten WTA 1000 events and the biggest tournament of the autumn in Asia. In 2026 it runs in Beijing from 30 September to 11 October on hard courts. The draw has 96 players: the 32 seeds receive first-round byes, so for the top of the rankings the tournament starts in the second round. The champion earns 1000 ranking points.
The defending champion is Amanda Anisimova, for whom the 2025 Beijing title was a second WTA 1000 trophy. Coco Gauff won the event in 2024 and Iga Świątek in 2023.
Rybakina in Beijing
| Year | Result | How it went |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Semifinal | Lost to Liudmila Samsonova, who then lost the final to Iga Świątek. |
| 2024 | Did not play | Missed the entire Asian swing with a back injury. |
| 2025 | Third round | Seeded eighth: beat Caty McNally, then lost to Eva Lys 3–6, 6–1, 4–6. |
Her best result is the 2023 semifinal. Last year's third round means she has few points to defend in Beijing: a strong run here counts almost entirely as a gain.
The 2026 entry list
According to the WTA entry list, the top eight names in Beijing are Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva, Linda Nosková, Karolína Muchová and Iga Świątek. The order reflects the ranking at the entry deadline; seedings will follow the ranking just before the draw. The field can still change - players withdraw right up to the start, and an entry is an intention rather than a guarantee.
What is at stake
From 14 September Rybakina is world No. 1, and the Asian swing is the first test of that position. The ranking counts points from the last 52 weeks: in the autumn last year's results drop out, and every player has to replace them with new ones. Rybakina's picture is uneven - she earned little in Beijing and Wuhan in 2025 but defends titles in Ningbo and at the WTA Finals. How the ranking works is explained on the WTA ranking page.
Match times
Beijing is on UTC+8: three hours ahead of Astana, five ahead of Moscow and seven ahead of London (British Summer Time ends on 25 October). A match starting at 7:00 p.m. local time begins at 4:00 p.m. in Kazakhstan and noon in London. Day sessions fall in the Kazakh morning, which makes this one of the most convenient events of the season for fans there.
| Beijing | Astana | London |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 | 09:00 | 05:00 |
| 15:00 | 12:00 | 08:00 |
| 19:00 | 16:00 | 12:00 |
The rest of the season
After Beijing the swing continues without a break: Wuhan, Ningbo and the WTA Finals at Indian Wells.
| Tournament | Category | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Open In progress New York, United States | Grand Slam hard | August 24 – September 12 | Her first US Open final. The final against Aryna Sabalenka is on 12 September at 4:00 p.m. New York time - 9:00 p.m. in the UK, 1:00 a.m. on 13 September in Astana. |
| China Open Entry confirmed Beijing, China | WTA 1000 hard | September 30 – October 11 | The first WTA 1000 of the Asian swing. Rybakina is on the WTA entry list, second after Aryna Sabalenka; the defending champion is Amanda Anisimova. |
| Wuhan Open Expected Wuhan, China | WTA 1000 hard | October 12–18 | The second WTA 1000 of the Asian swing; Rybakina reached the quarterfinals here in 2025. |
| Ningbo Open Defending title Ningbo, China | WTA 500 hard | October 19–25 | Rybakina won this title in 2025, beating Ekaterina Alexandrova in the final. All those points are on the line. |
| WTA Finals Defending title Indian Wells, United States | WTA Finals hard | November 8–15 | The season-ending event for the top eight has moved from Riyadh to Indian Wells. Rybakina is the defending champion: she beat Aryna Sabalenka 6–3, 7–6(0) in the 2025 final. The biggest block of ranking points she has to defend. |
Asian swing dates follow the standard WTA calendar and are confirmed by organisers. Top players enter shortly before each event - the status column is updated as official announcements appear.
Where to watch and how not to miss it
Legal broadcasters for Kazakhstan and neighbouring countries are listed on the where to watch page. The daily order of play is published the evening before; as soon as Rybakina's match appears in it, it reaches calendar subscribers by itself.
Do not miss the match
Subscribe once and matches and tournaments will appear in your phone calendar by themselves, with a reminder 30 minutes before the start, already in your time zone.
The subscription updates itself: new matches and time changes reach your calendar without downloading anything again. The browser reminder only works while the tab stays open.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2026 China Open?
From 30 September to 11 October 2026 in Beijing.
Is Rybakina playing the 2026 China Open?
She is on the WTA entry list, second after Aryna Sabalenka. The final field is known after the draw.
What is Rybakina's best result in Beijing?
The 2023 semifinal, where she lost to Liudmila Samsonova.
What time are China Open matches in Astana?
Beijing is three hours ahead of Astana: a 7:00 p.m. local start is 4:00 p.m. in Astana.