The 2025 China Open curtain rises: The pinnacle showdown at the Forbidden City is about to ignite

The China Open stands as Asia’s premier combined men’s and women’s tennis event. The adult singles main competition kicks off on September 24, with the men’s and women’s titles being decided on October 1 and October 5 respectively, drawing global fan interest over almost two weeks.

Women’s singles defending champion Gauff

Swiss luxury watchmaker Rolex has been the official timekeeper of the China Open since 2005. This year marks the 20th anniversary of their partnership, a milestone worth celebrating. Since 2012, Rolex has also been a diamond sponsor of the tournament, witnessing every key moment in the development of Chinese tennis.

This year’s China Open boasts a star-studded lineup, featuring many top players and Grand Slam champions, with the Chinese team launching a strong campaign. Over the past two years, Rolex ambassador players have achieved great success here: in 2023, Rolex ambassadors Sinner and Świątek triumphed; in 2024, ambassadors Alcaraz and Gauff claimed titles. Leading this year’s Rolex team are former champions Sinner, Świątek, Gauff, and Zheng Qinwen, who returns home after injury, all aiming for excellence and to defend their titles.

Women’s singles: Świątek and Gauff vie for another crown

With the absence of women’s world No.1 Sabalenka, the top two seeds in this year’s women’s singles at the China Open are the last two years’ champions Świątek and Gauff, both Rolex ambassadors, placed in the upper and lower halves of the draw respectively.

Rolex ambassador Świątek

Rolex ambassador Świątek won the 2023 China Open women’s singles title. This season, she claimed her sixth Grand Slam singles trophy at Wimbledon and started the Asian swing strongly by winning in Seoul, demonstrating excellent form.

As the top seed, Świątek sits in the first quarter and receives a first-round bye. Her opening opponent will be decided between Chinese player Yuan Yue and Putintseva, followed by a third-round match against 28th seed Kalinskaya. If she advances smoothly, she could face 19th seed Samsonova in the fourth round, a repeat of the final from two years ago. The quarterfinal stage offers open competition with contenders like 5th seed Pegula, former champion Osaka, and stars Raducanu and Kostyuk vying for a spot.

Rolex ambassador Zheng Qinwen

Two Rolex ambassadors, 4th seed Andreyeva and 7th seed Zheng Qinwen, share the second quarter of the draw. Last year, Zheng reached the semifinals at the China Open and maintained strong form through the season’s end, finishing ranked world No.5. This year, Zheng returns after right elbow surgery, missing several North American tournaments. Her first opponent will be either Chinese star Wang Yafan or Rakhimova; in the third round, she may face 26th seed Noskova, with potential fourth-round matches against 10th seed Tauson or 21st seed Mboko.

Rolex ambassador Andreyeva

In the quarterfinals, Zheng may meet Andreyeva again across the net, recalling their thrilling quarterfinal match last year, which Zheng won in three sets. Andreyeva’s opening match will be against either Chinese player Zhu Lin or a qualifier; her third-round opponent is 29th seed Yastremska, with a possible fourth-round clash against 14th seed Kasatkina or 17th seed Schneider. Additionally, three other Chinese players are in this section: Wei Shijia faces Semez in the first round, while Wang Xiyu and Guo Hanyu will contest a “Chinese derby” in their opening match.

3rd seed Anisimova and 6th seed Paolini are placed in the third quarter. Paolini recently led Italy to defend their Billie Jean King Cup title with strong form, while Anisimova has twice been a Grand Slam finalist this year, showing great strength. Wang Xinyu, seeded 31st, receives a first-round bye and will face Zhang Shuai or a qualifier in the second round, with a third-round match against 3rd seed Anisimova. Last year’s runner-up Muchova and semifinalist Badosa are also in this quarter.

Rolex ambassador Gauff

Defending champion and Rolex ambassador Gauff begins her title defense as the 2nd seed. This season, she won her second Grand Slam singles title at the French Open. Returning to the China Open, Gauff says she feels relaxed: “I’m mainly preparing for next year, treating this period like an off-season, which worked well for me last year. I’m very happy to be here and grateful for the fans’ enthusiasm.”

In this tournament, Gauff’s first opponent will be Bronzetti or Rakhimova. In the third and fourth rounds, she could face seeded players 25th seed Fernandez, 15th seed Bencic, and 22nd seed Ostapenko. The quarterfinals may bring a challenge from 7th seed Rybakina or 9th seed Alexandrova.

Rolex ambassador Bencic

Rolex ambassador Sakkari

Additionally, Rolex ambassadors Bencic and Sakkari are in the fourth quarter. 15th seed Bencic may face Sterns in the second round and aims to overcome Ostapenko in the third to meet Gauff in the round of 16 for a “Rolex derby.” Sakkari’s first-round opponent is Kruger, with Fernandez likely in the second round. Chinese rising stars Shi Han and Zhang Rui’an will challenge Kessler and Liss respectively in the first round of this section.

Men’s singles: Sinner aims to reclaim the China Open throne

Rolex ambassador Sinner has a strong connection with the China Open, having won the diamond court trophy in 2023 and quickly rising to world No.1. This season, he captured two Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Last year, Sinner finished runner-up to fellow Rolex ambassador Alcaraz in the China Open final. Returning as the top seed in Beijing, he is determined to regain the gold trophy.

Rolex ambassador Sinner

Sinner is placed in the upper half, where the other top seeds include 3rd seed De Minaur. In the first round, Sinner faces veteran Cilic across the net, a highlight match between Grand Slam champions. His second-round opponent will be the winner between Zhang Zhizhen and a qualifier. In the quarterfinals, Sinner could face 5th seed Khachanov.

Wildcard entrants Shang Juncheng and Bu Yunchaokete are also in the upper half. Shang’s first-round opponent is a qualifier, with a potential second-round match against 7th seed Menšík. Bu, who lost to Sinner in last year’s semifinals, will face 3rd seed De Minaur in the opening round this year.

The lower half is led by 2nd seed Zverev and 4th seed Musetti, with other seeds including 6th seed Rublev and 8th seed Medvedev. Additionally, strong players such as Linner, Davidovich Fokina, Bublik, and Norrie are all placed in this section.

Rolex clock at the China Open venue

The curtain is about to rise on the 2025 China Open, with passion and anticipation quietly building at Beijing’s tennis courts. Which champions will emerge this golden October to lift the trophy? Whether it’s celebrated stars claiming glory or rising dark horses making surprising breakthroughs, the event will surely ignite excitement and fuel the tennis fever of the Chinese season! The rhythm of the China Open is near, and the thrilling story is ready to be written. Let’s join Rolex in focusing on the court and witnessing every highlight moment of the 2025 China Open together!

(Image: Visual China)