The final WTA 500 tournament of the season kicks off on Monday at the Zhengzhou Open.
Zhengzhou: Scores | Schedule | Draws
Despite the post-draw injury withdrawals of Coco Gauff (right shoulder), Elena Rybakina (lower back) and Karolina Muchova (continuing right wrist), the field remains loaded with players who are looking to capitalize on their late-season surges. That group includes top seed and Guadalajara champion Maria Sakkari, Ningbo champion Ons Jabeur, San Diego champion Barbora Krejcikova and Tokyo champion Veronika Kudermetova.
Also in the mix are Beijing finalist Liudmila Samsonova, Asian Games gold medalist Zheng Qinwen, and Beijing quarterfinalist Caroline Garcia.
Main draw in Zhengzhou (WTA 500).
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) October 8, 2023
Coco Gauff (right shoulder), Elena Rybakina (low back) and Karolina Muchova (continuing right wrist) withdrew after the draw was made.
Their positions in the draw were taken by the next seeded players without byes. pic.twitter.com/cJeLBM9hSM
The top half of the draw is anchored by No.4 seed Jabeur, No.7 seed Krejcikova, No.8 seed Daria Kasatkina and No.10 seed Donna Vekic. After a bye into the second round, Krejcikova will face either Magda Linette or Petra Martic. Jabeur will open against either Lucia Bronzetti or Chinese wild card Guo Hanyu.
The bottom half features No.3 seed Sakkari, No.6 seed Garcia, No.9 seed Kudermetova and No.11 seed Samsonova. Sakkari could face China's Zheng Qinwen in the second round. Zheng Qinwen opens against qualifier Kateryna Volodko.
Garcia will open against either Jasmine Paolini or Japan's Moyuka Uchijima. Samsonova is facing a short turnaround from Sunday's Beijing final. She will face Tatjana Maria in the first round.
Other tournaments this week:
World No.4 Jessica Pegula leads the field at the Hana Bank Korea Open in Seoul. The American, whose mother Kim was born in Seoul, is set to play the tournament for just the second time in her career. She leads the draw alongside last year's finalist and 2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko.
Seoul: Scores | Schedule | Draws
Main draw in Seoul (WTA 250), where Jessica Pegula and Jelena Ostapenko are the top seeds. pic.twitter.com/daA0uyh05I
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) October 8, 2023
In Hong Kong, Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia lead the field. Top seed Azarenka opens her tournament against Leylah Fernandez.
Hong Kong: Scores | Schedule | Draws
Main draw in Hong Kong (WTA 250), where Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia are the top seeds. pic.twitter.com/Ak9OvrfxEb
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) October 8, 2023