2025 Ningbo Open WTA Entry List: Raducanu, Andreeva, Rybakina & Others

The WTA Tour's extensive Asian swing includes the 2025 Ningbo Open, a 500-level tournament scheduled from October 13th to 19th.

Originally an ITF and 125K event from 2010 to 2014, the Ningbo Open was not played from 2015 to 2022. It returned in 2023 as a 250-level tournament and was won by Ons Jabeur. That remains the Tunisian's most recent title.

Daria Kasatkina is the defending champion. After a topsy-turvy final, she overcame Mirra Andreeva 6-0, 4-6, 6-4. The 28-year-old handled the final's momentum swings slightly better than the teenager.

Last year's edition contained an improved entry list after being upgraded to 500-level status. It remains at that level for next month's tournament, but the list of players is even more impressive than it was almost a year ago.

Amanda Anisimova is the highest-ranked player on the entry list. The 24-year-old has enjoyed an outstanding breakthrough season. She won her maiden WTA 1000 title at the 2025 Qatar Open and was the Wimbledon and US Open runner-up.

Despite those outstanding results and being at a career-high ranking of No. 4, a risk exists of Anisimova finding it hard to recover in the season's remaining tournaments after losing two Grand Slam finals, one being on home soil.

However, Anisimova's signing up for the Ningbo Open, which occurs immediately after mandatory 1000-level tournaments in Beijing and Wuhan, is positive and strongly signals how much she wants to finish 2025 well.

Mirra Andreeva will try to take the next step at this year's Ningbo Open after coming so close against Kasatkina. The 18-year-old became very emotional after losing what was the biggest final of her career.

That led to one of the most heartwarming moments of 2024, when Kasatkina hugged the crying Andreeva during the trophy ceremony. The teenager has since secured 1000-level titles at this year's Dubai Championships and Indian Wells Open.

Elena Rybakina has mostly endured a challenging 2025 season, but improved during the North American swing with semifinals in Washington, Montreal, and Cincinnati, and losing in the US Open round of 16 to Marketa Vondrousova.

That could give the 2022 Wimbledon winner something to build from as she tries to find her best tennis again. The tournaments in Beijing, Wuhan, and Ningbo provide an opportunity for further improvement.

Emma Raducanu started her Asian swing at the 2025 Korea Open in Seoul. The former US Open champion lost a thrilling battle against Barbora Krejcikova in the round of 16, but will win many matches if she repeats that level at future events.

The Ningbo Open could also be crucial in deciding which players qualify for the 2025 WTA Finals. Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek have already qualified. The American trio of Coco Gauff, Anisimova, and Madison Keys is unconfirmed, but in strong positions at Nos. 3, 4, and 5.

Jessica Pegula is at No. 6, Andreeva is at No. 7, Rybakina is at No. 8, Jasmine Paolini is at No. 9, and Ekaterina Alexandrova is at No. 10. They are all on the Ningbo Open entry list, and the race to the WTA Finals could reach a thrilling conclusion.