The Asian swing is here, and it could prove to be a fascinating month of WTA action.
Events are already underway in Seoul and Hua Hin but with two huge WTA 1000 events in Beijing and Wuhan to come, alongside big events in Tokyo and Osaka, it could be a huge period for several players.
With action having started, we look at five key talking points to watch on the WTA this swing.
Sabalenka chases Swiatek in world No 1 battle
Aryna Sabalenka’s US Open triumph has shifted the balance of power on the WTA, with the Belarusian’s victory ensuring that Iga Swiatek is no longer the sole dominant force on tour.
Now, the world No 2 will look to close the gap on the Pole and reclaim the world No 1 ranking she held for a short period last year.
The focus of this battle will be at the WTA 1000 event in Beijing, where Swiatek is the defending champion from a year ago.
She has 1,000 ranking points to defend while having been beaten in the quarter-finals, Sabalenka only has 215 points to defend in comparison.
Swiatek has just over 2,000 points more at the moment, but this swing across Beijing, Wuhan and other events could prove key in the race for year-end No 1.
Raducanu’s rankings quest
Another player desperately looking for rankings success is Emma Raducanu, who is hoping to jump back inside the top 60 – and, ideally, a lot higher.
After a strong summer, strange scheduling decisions stalled her momentum this summer, culminating in an early US Open exit, and perhaps a missed chance to earn big ranking points.
Raducanu starts her Asian swing in Seoul at the Korea Open and has also entered the China Open – with a wildcard into the Wuhan Open a possibility.
The Brit has played well this year when she has been on the court, and we know that hard courts suit her; can she take advantage, get some matches in, and work her way back near the top?
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Home comforts for Osaka
Naomi Osaka’s 2024 comeback has been a wonky run, with every encouraging win and performance usually coupled up with a difficult loss shortly afterwards.
Historically, the Asian swing has been a successful hunting ground for the continent’s greatest-ever WTA player, and all eyes will be on whether she can start building some vital momentum.
The former world No 1 will be playing on home turf in Tokyo and Osaka, and has already received a wildcard into the China Open – where she won the title in 2019.
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Can Qinwen handle home expectations?
There will be few bigger stars this swing than Zheng Qinwen, who heads into the Asian swing fresh off reaching the Australian Open final and winning China’s first tennis singles gold medal at the Olympics.
A year ago, Qinwen won the WTA 500 event in Zhengzhou and then reached the final of the WTA Elite Trophy in Zhuhai, though expectations have multiplied massively in recent months.
She will be the face of all the events she plays in China and that will be particularly noticeable in Beijing and Wuhan, two of the largest and most prestigious events in tennis.
Qinwen will have plenty of home support and has had a strong summer; it will be fascinating to see what she can do here.
Wuhan returns
After five years off tour – due to COVID, and then the WTA’s short-lived boycott – women’s tennis returns to Wuhan this Autumn.
It has been a decade since the event first launched and, having won the title in 2018 and 2019, Sabalenka technically heads in as the defending champion.
With several of the WTA’s biggest names and leading stars having improved dramatically in the past half-decade, it will be interesting to see what pans out at a venue few will be familiar with.
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