The future of the Wuhan Open is called into question after big names withdraw from 2026 tournament

The 2026 Wuhan Open suffered several big-name withdrawals.

World number one Elena Rybakina withdrew from the Wuhan Open after losing early in Beijing, but she wasn't the only top-10 player to drop out of the year's final WTA 1000 event.

After the China Open final, Mirra Andreeva and Qinwen Zheng both chose to skip Wuhan . The Russian cited a schedule change for her withdrawal, while Zheng argued she had injured her shoulder during her victory on home soil.

Former world number one and Andreeva's countryman, Yevgeny Kafelnikov , has now delivered his verdict on her and others withdrawing from the Wuhan Open, suggesting what it could mean for the future of the event.

Yevgeny Kafelnikov believes Wuhan Open withdrawals affect 'the potential hosting of the tournament in the future'

"There are surely some reasons [why Zheng and Andreeva withdrew], because, objectively, she doesn't need to [play] right now. She has already qualified for the WTA Finals in America. She doesn't need to earn any additional points. If she had been seventh or eighth, I am sure she would have played. But right now, this tournament doesn't mean anything to her," said Kafelnikov during the latest episode of ' Hardcourt ' (translated from Russian).

"Of course, it's a real shame, because as I've said so many times, sponsors need to be supported, and with the withdrawals of such leading players in women's tennis, it really affects the potential hosting of the tournament in the future. So the fact that Elena [Rybakina], Mirra [Andreeva], and the others withdrew is, of course, not great."

Kafelnikov is concerned that the Wuhan Open may struggle to attract sponsors in the future after so many of the biggest draws chose to skip this year's event. Without sponsors, the event will likely lose its place on the WTA calendar.

A lot has been made of the Wuhan Open withdrawals, but just how bad has it been? Rybakina and Coco Gauff were two of the first to announce their withdrawals and were soon followed by another 10 players, including Andreeva, Zheng, and Naomi Osaka.

Elena Rybakina (WTA #1) – Left foot injury

Victoria Mboko (WTA #15) – Left knee injury

Amanda Anisimova (WTA #17) – Wrist injury

Mirra Andreeva (WTA #3) – Schedule change

Linda Noskova (WTA #8) – Left calf injury

Naomi Osaka (WTA #18) – Physical strains

Qinwen Zheng (WTA #23) – Shoulder injury

Anastasia Potapova (WTA #26) – Right shoulder injury

Barbora Krejcikova (WTA #46) – Back injury

Oleksandra Oliynykova – (WTA #51) – Ankle injury

But perhaps the bigger issue for the Wuhan Open tournament directors is that the top players who did compete failed to meet expectations. Only two seeded players remain in the draw: Iga Swiatek and Maja Chwalinska.

Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula, the top two seeds, both lost their opening matches, and the likes of Karolina Muchova, Belinda Bencic, Marta Kostyuk, and the Filipina sensation Alex Eala all failed to reach the quarter-finals.

That has left the Wuhan Open draw looking rather weak heading into finals weekend. The players competing for the title won't mind, though, with a WTA 1000 title on the line.

Why did so many players skip this year's Wuhan Open?

The simple answer is that the Wuhan Open has a nasty spot on the WTA calendar. It's right after the China Open in Beijing, and at a point in the year when many players are carrying knocks and winding down before the off-season.

If you know you are unable to qualify for the WTA Finals, why risk an injury in Wuhan? It makes more sense to rest up for a week and return at one of the upcoming WTA 500 events in Ningbo, China, or Tokyo, Japan.

There is no real solution for those in charge of the Wuhan Open, though, other than offering players bigger appearance fees. Whether the Wuhan Open can survive if another wave of withdrawals hits the event in 2027 remains to be seen.