Ningbo faces another wave of withdrawals! Wang Yafan switches to Jinan 125K

As the season closes every year, players endure almost a full year of competitive play, which inevitably causes some injuries or exhaustion, prompting numerous athletes to opt out of tournaments even if they are prestigious and well-rewarded.

Take this year’s WTA 500 Ningbo tournament as an example: the original main draw for singles included high-ranked players such as Anisimova, Andreyeva, Pegula, Paolini, Zheng Qinwen, Rybakina, Alexandrova, and Tauson. Additionally, talents like Badosa, Ostapenko, and Krejcikova were also listed on the entry list.

However, among the latest withdrawals are players like Anisimova, Zheng Qinwen, Svitolina, Kasatkina, Navarro, Badosa, and Ostapenko, all opting out due to injuries or other issues. The three wildcards initially went to Wang Xinyu, Raducanu, and Krejcikova. With a series of withdrawals, Raducanu’s ranking now grants her direct entry into the main draw; Wang Xinyu stands as the first alternate, and it is expected that two wildcards will be reallocated.

Chinese star Wang Yafan had originally planned to compete in the singles qualifying rounds in Ningbo, but after careful consideration, she decided to withdraw and instead participate in the concurrent Jinan 125K event.

As a relatively new tournament, the WTA 500 Ningbo event is only in its third year. The inaugural event was held in 2023 as a WTA 250 tournament, where the top seed Jabeur claimed the singles title, earning 280 ranking points and $34,228 in prize money.

Moving into the 2024 season, Ningbo upgraded comprehensively to a WTA 500 event. Nevertheless, due to multiple high-profile withdrawals, several players who lost in qualifying gained entry into the main draw. Ultimately, Kasatkina and Andreyeva met in the singles final, with Kasatkina winning a tough three-set match to claim the championship.

Notably, last year’s doubles title in Ningbo was won by the duo Yuan Yue and Stosur. As an unseeded pair, they defeated several strong teams, including the No. 2 seeds Zhan Haoqing and Krejcikova, to reach the final, where they swept the top-seeded Merichal/Perez 6-3, 6-3.

Despite many top players withdrawing, this year’s Ningbo tournament remains highly anticipated. The organizers have made significant hardware improvements, allowing fans to watch players train up close at the practice courts, and the main stadium is now equipped with a roof. The event will be held from October 11 to 19. Will you be attending to support the players?(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Barbie)