As the US Open wrapped up, fans shifted their focus to the Asian tennis season, where the China Open remains a highly watched event. Yet, the latest promotional poster did not include China’s leading female player Zheng Qinwen, and the steep rise in ticket prices surprised many, causing the homegrown top-tier tournament to become embroiled in disputes before kickoff.

As one of the flagship events of the Chinese tennis calendar, the China Open attracts top international players and countless tennis enthusiasts every year. However, this year’s promotional poster omitted China’s highest-ranked female singles player Zheng Qinwen, instead highlighting 14 Grand Slam champions as the main attraction, which sparked dissatisfaction among some fans!

“As China’s top female player, Zheng Qinwen should be featured on the poster. Last year, many people came specifically to watch her, not others! She is a source of national pride, so even the world number one Sabalenka should make way for her. Zheng represents the hopes and passion of all fans!” a fan candidly expressed.

However, some fans believe Zheng Qinwen’s absence from the poster may be related to uncertainty about her participation plans, suggesting she might not yet be ready to compete in the China Open. Others explained that since Zheng is a Grand Slam finalist, and the event is Asia’s premier combined men’s and women’s tournament, the organizers’ promotion considers multiple factors, and fans are more attracted to seeing a larger number of Grand Slam champions.

It is worth noting that this is not the first time Zheng Qinwen has been “overlooked” in event promotions. Back in 2024, she was missing from the WTA Finals preview video, which sparked heated discussions among netizens.

At that time, the WTA’s promotional video showcased highlights of six female singles qualifiers, but Zheng Qinwen was the only one absent, leaving many Chinese fans feeling disappointed and unfairly treated.

Similar situations occurred with the promotional posters for the Tokyo 500 tournament in Japan and the year-end finals in Riyadh. In the Riyadh poster, Zheng Qinwen was placed in the front row on the far left, with her image smaller than others in the same row and partially obscured by a tennis ball covering a significant portion.

Additionally, ticket prices for all six tournaments in the Chinese tennis season have generally increased, with many events adjusting their sales strategies. For example, ticket prices for the Lotus Court at the China Open rose from 100 yuan last year to 160 yuan this year, a 60% increase, while the newly introduced Diamond Court tickets for later rounds saw price hikes ranging from 100 to 700 yuan.

The Wuhan Open also raised ticket prices by about 100 yuan, and some rounds of the Chengdu ATP 200 and Ningbo WTA 500 tournaments saw slight increases as well.

Organizers have also implemented implicit price increases by redefining ticket categories. For instance, the Shanghai Masters upgraded some previously “Enjoy” seats to “Platinum” seats, with prices reaching as high as 9,700 yuan.

It is reported that this ticket price increase at the China Open is due to a structural pricing strategy introduced this year, setting different prices based on demand variations across rounds and time slots.

The organizers raised prices for highly popular later rounds while lowering prices for early rounds. Some seats in early rounds at the China Open dropped by 100 to 500 yuan, but later rounds and finals generally saw increases, with VIP seats for the men’s singles final rising by 700 yuan. For the first time, tickets are sold separately for day and night sessions. This pattern is also evident at the Wuhan Open, where day session prices decreased, but night session prices either stayed the same or increased, with night tickets showing especially notable hikes.

Moreover, the tournament introduced premium tickets by segmenting seating and bundling benefits, encouraging consumers to purchase higher-priced tickets. For example, the highest ticket price at this year’s Shanghai Masters reached 24,000 yuan.

Fans have mixed reactions to the ticket price increases at the China Open. Some view it as an “optimization strategy” adapted to the new economic environment, jointly considered by the WTA, ATP, and organizers to maximize event revenue and promote multi-dimensional development. Others feel that given the current tough environment, raising prices suppresses fan enthusiasm and negatively impacts tennis promotion and growth in China. As a leading event, the China Open should prioritize social responsibility over profits.

Despite the complaints, sales figures indicate strong market demand remains.

Within a week of ticket sales opening, over 50,000 tickets were sold, doubling the revenue compared to the same period in 2024. Sales on the opening day set a record high, with tickets for the Lotus Court on September 27 already sold out. Tickets for the men’s and women’s singles finals were highly sought after, and all 46 scarce seats in the newly introduced “Event Interaction Zone” were sold out as well.

Data from this year’s China Open electronic ticket real-name system shows that most fans are under 40 years old. Additionally, 800 to 1,000 international fans attend daily, with a total of 11,000 foreign fans entering so far this year.

Despite the controversies, the 2025 China Open still attracted many top players, including a star-studded lineup of 14 Grand Slam champions.

On the men’s side, top players such as Australian number one De Minaur, French Open semifinalist Musetti, Russian stars Rublev and Khachanov have confirmed participation. Also competing are Australian Open and Wimbledon champions, current world number two Sinner, world number three and Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Zverev, and former world number one and US Open champion Medvedev.

On the women’s side, the China Open WTA 1000 event expanded to a 96-player draw last year, featuring world number one Sabalenka, defending champion and new French Open winner Gauff, as well as former world number one and 2023 event champion Swiatek, among others.

Amid the controversies, will China’s top female player Zheng Qinwen participate as scheduled? Can the China Open respond to fan expectations with thrilling matches despite the public debate? Perhaps the intense battles on the Diamond Court and the performances of the new generation of Chinese players will be the key to whether this edition truly earns applause.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)