About the tournament
The Wuhan Open is a WTA 1000 event in Wuhan, in the central province of Hubei. In 2026 it runs from 12 to 18 October, straight after the China Open. The draw has 56 players and the surface is hard. Matches are played at the Optics Valley International Tennis Centre: seven courts, with a Central Court stadium holding up to 15,000 spectators. The champion earns 1000 ranking points.
After a four-year break Wuhan returned to the calendar in 2024, and the first edition after the pause went to Aryna Sabalenka, who beat Zheng Qinwen in the final. Beijing lasts almost two weeks and Wuhan starts the day after its final, so players who go deep in Beijing get only days to travel and recover.
Rybakina in Wuhan
| Year | Result | How it went |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Did not play | Missed the entire Asian swing with a back injury. |
| 2025 | Quarterfinal | Beat Jaqueline Cristian and Linda Nosková, then lost to Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets. |
For Rybakina, Wuhan so far is a tournament with a single line of history. The 2025 quarterfinal means there are few points to defend here, and the player she lost to then is her main rival in the rankings.
What is at stake
Wuhan is the second top-tier event in a row after Beijing, and together they offer up to 2000 points. For the world No. 1 it is a chance to extend her lead before she starts defending last year's titles in Ningbo and at the WTA Finals. Her main rival for the top spot, Aryna Sabalenka, is the 2024 champion here - another reason Wuhan matters in the autumn race. How points turn into ranking positions is explained on the WTA ranking page, and the rivalry is covered on the Rybakina vs Sabalenka page.
Match times
Wuhan, like all of China, is on UTC+8: three hours ahead of Astana and seven ahead of London until British Summer Time ends on 25 October. Evening matches at 7:00 p.m. local time begin at 4:00 p.m. in Astana; day matches fall in the Kazakh morning and lunchtime.
| Wuhan | 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
Wuhan sits in the middle of the autumn swing: Beijing before it, Ningbo and the WTA Finals after.
| 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
The list of legal broadcasters is on the where to watch page. Subscribe to the match calendar: once the organisers publish the order of play, Rybakina's match appears in it with a reminder 30 minutes before the start.
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Frequently asked questions
When is the 2026 Wuhan Open?
From 12 to 18 October 2026 in Wuhan, straight after the China Open.
What is Rybakina's best result in Wuhan?
The 2025 quarterfinal, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka.
How many points does the Wuhan Open champion get?
1000 ranking points - it is a WTA 1000 event.
What time are Wuhan matches in Astana?
Wuhan is three hours ahead of Astana: a 7:00 p.m. local start is 4:00 p.m. in Astana.