Korean Open Preview

The US Open is the final Grand Slam tournament of the year, completing the four major tournaments in professional tennis. Although the majors have now concluded, the tennis season continues, with most of the remaining events scheduled to take place in Asia.

Next week, on September 15, top female players will compete in the Korean Open Tennis Championship in Seoul. Last year, the event was elevated to a higher WTA 500 tier, with Beatriz Haddad Maia winning the title after defeating Daria Kasatkina in the final. Now, let’s dive into the previews for this year’s event.

Korean Open Preview

Since its founding in 2004, the Korean Open has experienced significant growth, culminating in its upgrade to a higher WTA 500 status. With the stakes much higher this year, there’s no doubt that the event will attract big-name players. Leading the charge as the top-seeded player is former World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who will be making her debut in this tournament. Last year, she was included in the draw but had to withdraw due to a provisional suspension. The 24-year-old Polish player did not have a great start to the year, but improved in the second half.

Swiatek has won two titles in the last two months, indicating her aim to finish the year on a high note. In July, she delivered a masterclass performance by thrashing Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 to clinch the Wimbledon title for the first time in her career, marking her sixth Grand Slam title at a young age. She also put on a dominant display at the Cincinnati Masters, securing her 11th WTA 1000 career title. However, she exited the US Open in the quarter-finals last week, losing 6-4, 6-3 to Anisimova, ending her match-winning streak. Swiatek is on a mission to end the year as No. 1 and needs to secure multiple victories to overtake Sabalenka at the top of the rankings.

Entering the main draw as the second-seeded player is Anisimova, who has made a remarkable comeback to the sport. Despite emerging on the tennis scene in 2018, Anisimova faced several mental challenges over the years, which led to a break from the sport. This break appears to have positively impacted her, as she has made a significant mark since returning last year. This season is considered her best yet, with the 24-year-old American reaching two Grand Slam finals, although she lost both. In July, she was overwhelmed 6-0, 6-0 by Swiatek in the Wimbledon final. She then progressed to the US Open final, defeating quality players including Swiatek and Naomi Osaka along the way, but ultimately lost in straight sets to Sabalenka. Anisimova acknowledged that she lacked the fight needed to claim her first Grand Slam title.

Defending champion Haddad Maia aims to prove that her incredible run to the title last year was not a fluke. She will need to perform well, as she has struggled for form this season. World No. 11 and 2022 champion Ekaterina Alexandrova will also be a strong contender for the title, while other notable players include World No. 12 Clara Tauson, last year’s runner-up Kasatkina, Veronica Kudermetova, and British ace Emma Raducanu.

Prize Money

The total prize money for the tournament is $1,064,510, with the winner set to receive $182,000. In the doubles category, the winners will receive a total of $922,573.

Past Five Winners

2024: Beatriz Haddad Maia

2023: Jessica Pegula

2022: Ekaterina Alexandrova

2021: Lin Zhu

2020: Cancelled due to COVID-19

2019: Karolina Muchova