Beijing once again finds itself at the heart of tennis’ late-season drama as the China Open 2025 kicks off, promising a week of high-intensity battles, breakout moments, and perhaps a few shocks along the way. With the season drawing closer to its climax, every match in Beijing has the potential to reshape the ATP and WTA Race Standings. The women’s event is a WTA 1000 event on the WTA Tour, while the men’s is an ATP 500 event on the ATP Tour. Both the former champions, Coco Gauff and Jannik Sinner, are ready to get back on winning tracks after a titleless campaign at the US Open. Here’s everything you need to know about the China Open.

When will the tournament start?

After two days of qualifying, singles main-draw action begins on Wednesday, i.e., September 24. The semifinal will be played on Saturday, October 2, and the finals will take place on the evening of Sunday, October 5. On the other side, the ATP 500 event will be held from September 25 to October 1.

When is the draw?

On the women’s side, there are 96 singles players in the main draw—including 12 qualifiers—and the top 32 seeds will get a first-round bye. The draw for the women’s event is set to be released on Monday, September 22. But for the men’s event, the China Open draw will come out on Tuesday, September 23.

Who all will feature at the 2025 China Open?

Sadly, on the women’s side, the current world number one, Aryna Sabalenka, has withdrawn her name from the tournament due to a “minor injury.” Sabalenka’s absence opens the door for players like Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Mirra Andreeva, Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula, and Jasmine Paolini. These players have already proved their mettle this season. So, now it’ll be interesting to see who among these clinches the title this year.

Other than these players, local favorite Qinwen Zheng will be playing in this tournament. This will be her first tournament since the 2025 Wimbledon. Watch out for other superstars like Elena Rybakina, Paula Badosa, Emma Raducanu, and many others as well!

Coming to the men’s side, other than Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Alex de Minaur, Lorenzo Musetti, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, and several others will be seen in action. Surprisingly, even the men’s world number one, Carlos Alcaraz, has chosen to stay out of this tournament this year, and following the Laver Cup, he will travel to Tokyo to take part in the Japan Open.

What are the ranking points and prize money in this tournament?

At the 2025 China Open, there’s $8,963,700 in prize money on the line for all the WTA stars, and that’s in fact the fourth-most of the ten WTA 1000 events. However, on the men’s side, the ATP 500 event has allotted a total prize money of $3,720,165. Breaking it down further:

WTA

ATP

Who won the titles last year from both the men’s and women’s sides?

Last year, Coco Gauff defeated the Czech star, Karolina Muchova, by 6-1,6-3 in the final of the China Open. On the men’s side, Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner by 6(6)-7,6-4,7-6(3) in the final to claim the 2024 title. 

Novak Djokovic (6) has won the title the most number of times, but even he’ll miss out on this tournament this year.

Where can the fans watch the 2025 China Open?

In the US, the tournament will be shown on Tennis Channel, while Sky Sports will telecast the tournament in several European countries, like the UK, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Ireland, Austria, and a few others. In Australia, fans can watch this tournament live on beIN Sports, while in New Zealand it will be shown on DAZN. 

With the absence of Sabalenka and Alcaraz, it’ll be interesting to see if players like Coco Gauff and Jannik Sinner can step up this year or not. Sinner has already announced his arrival in Beijing, donning a Nike track outfit, and he was spotted receiving a warm welcome from the Chinese fans. Some of the fans even took a picture and shook hands with the Italian star. One of them even gifted Sinner a blue-colored Labubu. Overall, the tennis world is now all set for an action-packed China Open. Who are your picks this year on both the men’s and women’s sides, though?

Written by

Sayantan Roy

Sayantan Roy is a seasoned tennis journalist at EssentiallySports. He brings a deep tactical understanding to his coverage, breaking down head-to-head records, match dynamics, and on-court strategies with precision. For more than two years, Sayantan has been a key member of the Live Events desk, delivering real-time insights and data-backed predictions for the platform’s Matchday Preview section. His analytical approach has sparked editorial debates and drawn recognition from respected tennis voices, including commentator and analyst Olly_Tennis. Combining his experience in writing with a passion for insightful sports journalism, Sayantan’s work serves as a trusted reference point for tennis fans around the world.

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Edited by

Shrabana Sengupta