The Wuhan Open is returning to the WTA calendar but without some of its biggest names, raising fresh concerns about the women’s tour schedule. Elena Rybakina, who recently became world number one and won the US Open, has pulled out with an injury. Coco Gauff, the defending Wuhan champion, withdrew citing fatigue. Their absences are part of a growing list of high-profile withdrawals that underline mounting pressure on the WTA to reconsider how it structures its season.
The Wuhan Open follows immediately after the China Open on the WTA schedule, a sequence that many players have criticised for cramming too many matches and tournaments into a short time. The lack of rest during the off-season has only made matters worse, with some players barely getting any downtime. This tension has been building for a while, but the entry list for this year’s Wuhan event brings the issue into sharp focus.
Alongside Rybakina and Gauff, Amanda Anisimova has ended her 2026 campaign early and will not participate. Madison Keys, Emma Navarro, and Karolina Pliskova also withdrew well before the tournament, with Naomi Osaka joining them more recently. This wave of absences is damaging for the event and the WTA Tour overall, especially since Wuhan is the final WTA 1000 tournament of the season.
Despite the withdrawals, the tournament will still feature a strong field. Aryna Sabalenka will compete, as will Jessica Pegula, who finished runner-up to Gauff in 2025. Alex Eala from the Philippines will make her Wuhan debut after missing the China Open due to her participation in the Asian Games.
Gauff’s 2025 Wuhan Open victory was notable for its dominance. She won the title without dropping a set, the first player to do so since the tournament began in 2014. Over the course of the event, she lost just 25 games, the fewest of any champion. Gauff’s run included wins over qualifier Moyuka Uchijima, wildcard Shuai Zhang, Laura Siegemund, Jasmine Paolini, and a 6-4, 7-5 final victory against Pegula to claim her 11th career title.
The absence of such marquee players from this year’s Wuhan Open adds fuel to ongoing calls for the WTA to overhaul its calendar. The current structure has drawn criticism for its intensity and the physical toll it takes on players, particularly in the closing stages of the season. The WTA has yet to announce any changes in response to these concerns.
The latest confirmed withdrawals leave Wuhan without two of its most recent champions and several other top competitors. The tournament is set to proceed with a mix of established stars and emerging talents.
According to Yahoo Sports.