A talented field will assemble for next week’s AO Asia-Pacific Wildcard Play-off in Chengdu, China with players chasing a coveted main-draw place at Australian Open 2026.
Chengdu’s Sichuan International Tennis Centre will host four play-off events – men’s and women’s singles, and men’s and women’s doubles – from 24-29 November.
China’s depth in the WTA ranks is reflected in the women’s singles acceptance list, with Yuan Yue, Zhu Lin and Wang Yafan – all former top-50 players – headed to Chengdu.
A place in the AO main draw would be especially notable for Zhu and Wang, who have previously reached the fourth and third rounds at Melbourne Park, respectively.
Zhu is also preparing to lead Team China at the upcoming United Cup, where she will join forces with Zhang Zhizhen to kick off their campaign on 3 January in Sydney.
Others among the 16-player women’s field in Chengdu are a Japanese quartet including former world No.56 Nao Hibino and Sara Saito, the teenager who reached her first WTA quarterfinal in Osaka last year.
Former world No.31 Zarina Diyas, of Kazakhstan, will attempt to join those names when she begins her campaign in the qualifying rounds.
The men’s singles event is headlined by Chinese No.1 Bu Yunchaokete, who earlier this year peaked at world No.64.
