Here is all the pieces it is advisable to know in regards to the China Open and Japan Open – each reside on Sky Sports activities this week – together with who’s taking part in in every event and the Brits concerned…
Who’s competing on the China Open?
The China Open in Beijing sees each a ladies’s and males’s singles event happen concurrently – a WTA 1000 occasion and an ATP Tour 500 event.
Iga Swiatek received the ladies’s occasion in 2023, when the event returned for the primary time in 4 years after disruption brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The ladies’s world No 1, and five-time Grand Slam champion, withdrew final week forward of her title defence, on account of “personal matters”.
Aryna Sabalenka, recent from her US Open win, will now function the highest seed, with Jessica Pegula – who she beat to the title at Flushing Meadows – seeded second. 2019 winner Naomi Osaka has been handed a wildcard into the primary draw, whereas two-time champion Caroline Wozniacki (2010, 2018) can also be included within the area.
Within the males’s event, world No 1 Jannik Sinner is again to defend his title, whereas final yr’s runner-up Daniil Medvedev additionally returns, as 4 of the world’s prime 5 participate – together with Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz.
There is no such thing as a Novak Djokovic, nevertheless. The six-time China Open champion has as a substitute opted to relaxation up forward of the Rolex Shanghai Masters 1000 occasion happening subsequent week.
Draper seeded tenth at Japan Open
British males’s No 1 Jack Draper is taking part in within the Japan Open, one other ATP Tour 500 event additionally reside on Sky Sports activities this week.
The 22-year-old starred within the US Open as he reached a primary profession Grand Slam semi-final earlier this month, breaking into the world’s prime 20 consequently.
“I want to get to the position where I’m consistently winning and playing at a high-level week in, week out,” Draper mentioned forward of the Japan Open, the place he’s seeded tenth.
“I want to have a good Asia swing and a good indoor season. The work’s not done yet. This period for me, I’ve played a lot of tennis and I’ve travelled a lot, it’s about looking after my body, making sure I don’t break down.
“I wish to maintain my motivation robust in order that I can end the yr hopefully in a extremely robust manner after which clearly have a chronic pre-season and work actually exhausting on my physique and enhance prepared for subsequent yr.”
American Ben Shelton is back to defend his title, while compatriot Taylor Fritz, who was victorious in Japan in 2022, is the top seed for the tournament that also includes France Tiafoe in the field.
What other Brits are involved in China?
While Draper is flying the flag for Great Britain in Japan, Cameron Norrie has pulled out of the China Open as he continues to recover from a forearm injury that saw him withdraw from the US Open.
Women’s British No 1 Katie Boulter is among the WTA 1000 field in Beijing, seeded 28th, while Harriet Dart is also included in the entry list.
Heather Watson beat Elsa Jacquemot 2-6 6-2 6-1 to move into the second round of qualifying at WTA Beijing.
Ladies’s British No 1 Katie Boulter is among the many WTA 1000 area in Beijing
Nevertheless, Emma Raducanu has withdrawn with a foot harm, the previous US Open winner explaining that she had sprained ligaments.
It’s a powerful harm for Raducanu as, with no rating factors to defend, she had a giant alternative to push on from her present rating of seventieth on the earth over the following few weeks.
“I think the rest of the year, as long as I’m healthy, I’m going to try and finish the season and play as many matches as I can,” the 2021 US Open champion mentioned lately.
“It’s something I’m really light on since the grass through the [Washington] DC period. I’ve not played many points, even in practice.
“For me now, I simply wish to play matches and, within the meantime, perform a little bit of labor on my recreation the place I can.”
Watch both the China Open and Japan Open, live on Sky Sports Tennis and Sky Sports+ from Wednesday, September 25, with coverage of day one under way from 4am.
What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis in September?
- Japan Open – ATP 500 (September 25-October 1)
- China Open – ATP 500 (September 26-October 2)
- China Open – WTA 1000 (September 25-October 6)
Sky Sports+ has officially launched and will be integrated into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports activities app, giving Sky Sports activities clients entry to over 50 per cent extra reside sport this yr at no further price. Discover out extra right here.
