What Happened to China Open (tennis)?

The China Open, a premier hardcourt tennis tournament, has a rich history dating back to its inception in 1993 as a men's-only event in Beijing. After a brief discontinuation in 1998, it was successfully reinstated in 2004, expanding to include a women's singles event in 1994 and becoming a combined ATP and WTA tournament played concurrently at the same venue by 2008. The tournament is hosted at the state-of-the-art China National Tennis Center, featuring the 15,000-seat Diamond Court with a retractable roof, a venue originally built for the 2008 Olympic Games.

Over the years, the China Open has grown significantly in stature, becoming a WTA 1000 event for women and an ATP 500 event for men, attracting many of the sport's biggest names. A key turning point in its technological adoption was in 2006 when it became the first tournament outside the United States to implement the Hawk-Eye electronic line-calling system in match play. The tournament's momentum, however, faced a significant challenge with the global COVID-19 pandemic, leading to its cancellation for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022.

Upon its return, the China Open quickly re-established its position on the international tennis calendar. The 2024 edition saw Carlos Alcaraz clinch the men's singles title and Coco Gauff emerge as the women's singles champion. Notably, the women's tournament in 2024 was expanded to a two-week event with a 96-player singles draw, reflecting its growing importance. In 2025, Jannik Sinner secured the men's singles trophy, while Amanda Anisimova was crowned the women's singles champion.

The 2026 China Open, currently underway from September 30 to October 11 for women and September 30 to October 6 for men, has been marked by both high-stakes competition and notable absences. The total prize money for 2026 reached approximately $4,089,385 for the ATP event and $9,415,725 for the WTA event, representing increases from the previous year. However, the tournament has been impacted by a significant number of withdrawals, with 19 women's players pulling out, including defending champion Amanda Anisimova due to a wrist injury, and world No. 3 Jessica Pegula. Filipina star Alex Eala also controversially opted to play the Asian Games instead, potentially facing a WTA fine.

As of October 4, 2026, the women's draw has seen major upsets, with world No. 1 Elena Rybakina eliminated in the second round and world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka knocked out in the third round. Meanwhile, top men's seed Alexander Zverev is scheduled to play six-time champion Novak Djokovic in a highly anticipated quarterfinal match. The tournament continues to showcase emerging talents and seasoned champions, solidifying its role as a crucial event in the late-season tennis calendar.