The WTA Tour moves from Wuhan to Ningbo for the season’s penultimate WTA 500, where world No. 1 and defending champion Elena Rybakina will lead a 28-player singles field in the third edition of the event at this level.
Main-draw competition at the BNB Ningbo Open runs from October 19 to October 25, with Rybakina returning to the site of her 10th career singles trophy as she prepares for the 2026 WTA Finals in Indian Wells.
Draw and schedule
- The singles main draw will be made at 7 p.m. local time on Saturday, October 17.
- First-round matches are scheduled for October 19 and 20, followed by the second round across October 21 and 22.
- The quarterfinals will be played on October 23, with semifinals set for October 24.
- Championship Sunday is October 25. The doubles final is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. local time, followed by the singles final no earlier than 5 p.m.
The planned start time for the singles final is 5 a.m. Eastern Time and 9 a.m. GMT. The event has a 16-team doubles bracket, while the top four singles seeds will receive opening-round byes.
Seeds and main-draw field
Rybakina heads the seeded contingent, with Elina Svitolina, Iga Swiatek and Marta Kostyuk projected to occupy the other bye positions. Iva Jovic, Belinda Bencic, Diana Shnaider and Elise Mertens complete the listed top eight.
- Elena Rybakina
- Elina Svitolina
- Iga Swiatek
- Marta Kostyuk
- Iva Jovic
- Belinda Bencic
- Diana Shnaider
- Elise Mertens
The direct-entry list also includes Sorana Cirstea, Alexandra Eala, Maja Chwalinska, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Marie Bouzkova, Sara Bejlek and Jasmine Paolini.
Anna Kalinskaya has withdrawn because of illness, while Jessica Pegula is also out. Diane Parry and Leylah Fernandez have moved into the main draw. The player list remains subject to change before play begins.
Rybakina returns as champion
Last year, Rybakina arrived in Ningbo ranked No. 9 and left with the title after recovering from a set down against Alexandrova in the final, winning 3-6, 6-0, 6-2.
Her Ningbo campaign also included victories over Dayana Yastremska, Ajla Tomljanovic and Paolini. Those four wins began an 11-match run that closed her 2025 season, a stretch that carried into her WTA Finals Riyadh triumph.
Rybakina subsequently added two more Grand Slam titles during the 2026 season and rose to No. 1 in the rankings. Alexandrova, the player she beat in the Ningbo final, is again among the direct entrants this week.
In the previous doubles championship match, Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Liudmila Samsonova edged Timea Babos and Luisa Stefani 5-7, 6-4, [10-8].
Points and prize money
The tournament’s total prize fund is approximately $1,206,446. The singles champion will receive 500 ranking points and $185,500, while the winning doubles team will take 500 points and $61,540.
| Singles result | Ranking points | Prize money |
|---|---|---|
| Champion | 500 | $185,500 |
| Runner-up | 325 | $114,500 |
| Semifinal | 195 | $66,003 |
| Quarterfinal | 108 | $33,475 |
| Second round | 60 | $17,795 |
| First round | 1 | $12,700 |
Players who qualify for the singles main draw receive 25 ranking points.
| Doubles result | Ranking points | Prize money per team |
|---|---|---|
| Champion | 500 | $61,540 |
| Runner-up | 325 | $37,400 |
| Semifinal | 195 | $21,720 |
| Quarterfinal | 108 | $11,150 |
| First round | 1 | $6,800 |
