Former US Open champion set to play first tournament since leaving the court in tears at the Canadian Open

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The China Open will feature some of the biggest stars from the WTA Tour.

This includes defending champion Coco Gauff, who has explained why she is without her coach in Beijing.

Both Iga Swiatek and Gauff are the top two seeds, with world number one Aryna Sabalenka withdrawing from the China Open.

Although not one of the top ranked players anymore, a former US Open champion is also set to return to the WTA Tour after suffering an emotional setback at the Canadian Open.

Bianca Andreescu set to return to the WTA Tour at the China Open

That player is Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 US Open champion who has been through many struggles since becoming a Grand Slam champion.

This included the Canadian taking a six-month mental health break after the 2021 season, but more recently Andreescu’s struggles have been injury related.

After missing the first few months of the season due to a knee injury, before Andreescu was dealt another setback after undergoing emergency surgery on her appendix.

Andreescu officially made her comeback at the WTA 250 event in Rouen in April earlier this year, and was able to show some signs of the player that reached a career-high ranking of world number four.

This included reaching the last 16 of the Italian Open after picking up impressive victories over Elena Rybakina and Donna Vekic.

Andreescu was then building up for a return to the US Open, competing at her home WTA 1000 tournament, the Canadian Open.

In her first round match, Andreescu was able to beat Barbora Krejcikova, but disaster struck after she rolled her ankle on match point.

Andreescu subsequently withdrew from her second round match in Montreal, before pulling out of the US Open as well.

At the time of the injury, Andreescu revealed she had suffered a sprain to her ankle and was hoping to be back ‘as soon as possible’.

That date now appears to have arrived for Andreescu, as she features in the draw of the upcoming China Open after using her protected ranking.

Bianca Andreescu’s potential draw at the China Open

Andreescu was originally supposed to play Magda Linette in her first round match, but the withdrawal of Beatriz Haddad Maia, who has ended her 2025 season, means that the 25-year-old now has a different opponent.

Instead, Andreescu will play Hungarian Anna Bondar, who she has beaten in their only previous meeting.

If the Canadian is able to beat Bondar once again then she will play 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova.

This is the second time that Andreescu has played at the China Open and the first since she reached the quarterfinals in 2019.

Andreescu will make her return to the match court against Bondar on Wednesday, September 24.