China Open: 19 withdrawals, Eala faces ranking points penalty

The China Open has been rocked by 19 high-profile withdrawals. The WTA 1000 event got underway in Beijing today and lasts until October 11. It is the ninth of 10 WTA 1000 tournaments in the year and offers 1,000 ranking points to the winner, plus £866,000 in prize money.

Among the absentees is reigning champion Amanda Anisimova, who has ended her 2026 season early. She told her fans: "I sustained a wrist injury again, that I need to take care of. Time to get healthy, reset, and see you all in 2027."

Top 10 players missing

The American world No.11 is not the highest-ranking withdrawal. Her compatriot Jessica Pegula, who is third in the world, also withdrew from the event in China. Pegula has an unspecified injury which also caused her to skip the WTA 500 Singapore Open, where she would have been the top seed.

Another top 10 player, Marta Kostyuk, is also absent. The Ukrainian has a wrist injury that forced her out of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.

Five other players who would have been seeded have pulled out too: Victoria Mboko, Sorana Cirstea, Alex Eala, Madison Keys and Emma Navarro. Of the unseeded players, Emma Raducanu, imminently poised to drop out of the top 100, will not play due to injury.

Eala's decision and potential penalty

Among those drafted in as replacements are ex-world No.2 Paula Badosa, former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, Magda Linette and Eva Lys. But Eala does not miss the China Open due to fitness issues. Rather, the Filipino is not at the National Tennis Center in Beijing because of a schedule clash, instead playing at the Asian Games.

That decision could yet have dire consequences for the 21-year-old. The China Open is a mandatory WTA event. Indonesia's Janice Tjen had an appeal for an exemption rejected and is instead playing in Beijing, beating Anhelina Kalinina in her opening match.

As a result of skipping the China Open, Eala could be fined £7,400 ($10,000) by the WTA. She could also have ranking points stripped off her. A zero-point ranking penalty means no points are added to a player's ranking for the mandatory event they miss, but it also means points accrued elsewhere at another tournament are removed.

Eala responds and looks ahead

Iga Swiatek received the same punishment in October 2024 and lost 120 points, which saw her surrender world No.1 status to Aryna Sabalenka. The Pole has not topped the rankings since.

Discussing the matter this week, Eala told SNTV: "It was a decision I didn't take lightly. Of course it's difficult to miss out on a 1000, especially Beijing, where I've heard so many great things about the tournament and I have yet to go. But I know there will be many chances to go back and I'm really excited to be here, to represent my country and to compete. I am not aware of the outcome yet [and whether she will be punished]. We have not been enlightened."

Eala is into the singles semi-finals at the Asian Games after beating Joanna Garland 7-5, 6-0, while she won her opening doubles match alongside fellow Filipino Shaira Rivera. She is hoping to leave Nagoya, Japan with two gold medals after winning bronze in 2023.

"I'm as eager as anybody and maybe even a little more," she added. "I have a lot of will to compete, a lot of will to win."

Greg Rusedski has been among those calling for the WTA not to sanction Eala. He said on his podcast: "Common sense isn't very common in this world we live in. I'm sure they'll make the right call and they won't fine her."

Regardless, Eala can no longer qualify for the end-of-year WTA Finals because she can no longer catch world No.8 Linda Noskova before the November 1 cut-off point.