WUHAN, September 14, 2018 (Press Release)
This year’s Wuhan Open will host all four of 2018’s reigning Grand Slam singles champions including newly-crowned US Open winner Naomi Osaka when main draw play gets underway on 23rd September.
Osaka, who picked up her first Grand Slam title with a memorable win over Serena Williams in the final of the US Open on Saturday, will be joined by this year’s Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki, Roland Garros winner Simona Halep and Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber.
Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams (Wimbledon 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008 and US Open 2000, 2001), two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, 2016 Roland Garros and 2017 Wimbledon champion Garbiñe Muguruza, 2017 Roland Garros winner Jelena Ostapenko and 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens are also entered into Wuhan in what is the tournament’s fifth year.
In total the star-studded entry list for this year’s Wuhan Open boasts ten Grand Slam singles champions with a total of 21 Grand Slam singles titles between them.
Wildcard for Qiang Wang
Qiang Wang
The tournament also confirmed on Thursday that it will be awarding a wildcard to Chinese No.2 and World No.44 Qiang Wang. Wang, who is ranked second in China behind Shuai Zhang, was close to joining her countrywoman as a direct entrant into the Main Draw but narrowly missed out due to this year’s exceptionally strong singles entry list.
“To play the best tournaments in China is always a dream and Wuhan is one of my favourite tournaments. Having the home crowd behind you is an amazing feeling so I can’t wait to play. I’m grateful for the opportunity,” Qiang Wang said.
There is not shortage of star quality in Wuhan Open’s doubles line-up this year either. Recent US Open runners-up Kristina Mladenovic and Timea Babos lead the early entries for the 28-team doubles draw in Wuhan. They will be joined by Barbora Styrcova and Andrea Hlavackova Sestini, Gabriella Dabrowski and Yifan Xu, Andrea Klepac and Maria-Jose Martinez Sanchez among other strong teams.
Latisha Chan, who won the Wuhan Open doubles title last year alongside the now retired Martina Hingis, returns to the central Chinese city to play with experienced Czech Lucie Hradecka. Former Top 10 singles player Johanna Konta will be joining forces with local favourite Shuai Zhang.
A full line-up of confirmed doubles teams is below:
| Position | Combined Ranking | Players |
| 1 | 9 | Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) and Timea Babos (HUN) |
| 2 | 15 | Barbora Strycova (Czech) and Andrea Hlavackova Sestini (CZE) |
| 3 | 23 | Gabriela Dabrowski (CAN) and Yifan Xu (CHN) |
| 4 | 26 | Andreja Klepac (ROM) and Maria José Martinez Sanchez (ESP) |
| 5 | 31 | Latisha Chan (TPE) and Lucie Hradecka (CZE) |
| 6 | 34 | Nicola Melichar (USA) and Kveta Peschke (CZE) |
| 7 | 42 | Zhaoxuan Yang (CHN) and Hao-Ching Chan (CHN) |
| 8 | 59 | Katerina Siniakova (CZE) and Aleksandra Krunic (ROM) |
| 9 | 63 | Abigail Spears (USA) and Alicija Rosolska (POL) |
| 10 | 65 | Lyudmyla Kichenok (UKR) and Katerina Srebotnik (SLO) |
| 11 | 66 | Raquel Atawo (USA) and Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) |
| 12 | 80 | Miyu Kato (JPN) and Makato Ninomiya (JPN) |
| 13 | 82 | Lidziya Marozava (BLR) and Shuko Aoyama (JPN) |
| 14 | 83 | Anastasia Rodionova (AUS and Nadiia Kichenok (UKR) |
| 15 | 96 | Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) and Darija Jurak (CRO) |
| 16 | 100 | Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) and Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) |
| 17 | 109 | Vania King (USA) and Jennifer Brady (USA) |
| 18 | 165 | Shuai Zhang (CHN) and Johanna Konta (GBR) |
| 19 | 1139 | Dan Ni Wang (CHN) and I-Hsuan Cho (CHN) |
