World No 1 Elena Rybakina could face the resurgent Zheng Qinwen early at the China Open while Coco Gauff finds herself in a quarter that contains Iva Jovic and Iga Swiatek.

Newly-crowned US Open champion Rybakina headlined the the draw at the WTA 1000 event and she, along with the other 31 seeds, will receive a bye into the second round before facing either Yulia Starodubtseva or Alina Charaeva.

18th seed Marie Bouzkova could be the first seed she faces in the third round before a possible encounter against Zheng, who has surged up the rankings with her run to the quarter-finals of the US Open.

If the seedings hold, then the three-time Grand Slam winner will take on either seventh seed Elina Svitolina or ninth seed Belinda Bencic in the quarter-final.

Second Quarter

World No 4 Gauff is definitely in the quarter of death, as the third seed has some big-name stars in her path later in the draw. The American will start against either Lanlana Tararudee or Camila Osorio while she could face 13th seed Elise Mertens in the fourth round.

WTA News

There could be a US Open rematch on the cards in the quarter-final with compatriot Jovic a potential opponent, but the teenager has a difficult bracket herself as she could face Leylah Fernandez, fresh from winning the Singapore Open, in the third round and Swiatek in the fourth round.

Swiatek starts against either Panna Udvardy or Xinyu Gao while she is projected to meet 30th seed Donna Vekic in the third round and Jovic in the last 16.

Third Quarter

World No 5 Mirra Andreeva and No 6 Linda Noskova are on a quarter-final collission course and the former has gentle path in the opening rounds as she starts against Oleksandra Oliynykova or Yue Yuan while she could face 14th seed Jasmine Paolini in the fourth round.

Reigning Wimbledon champion Noskova kicks off against Elena-Gabriela Ruse or Lilli Tagger in the second round while she is projected to meet 11th seed Diana Shnaider in the fourth round.

But Shnaider will likely have to get past 19th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the round of 64 before a possible meeting with the Russian.

Fourth Quarter

World No 2 Aryna Sabalenka certainly has the easiest path in the top four as she can only meet the likes of Swiatek, Gauff, and Rybakina in the final.

The second seeds faces either Anna Bondar or Renata Zarazua in her opening match before meeting either 16th seed Anastasia Potapova or 17th seed Maja Chwalinksa in the fourth round.

The bigger challengers will only come in the quarter-finals, with Karolina Muchova the highest seed at seven. Muchova, though, will likely have to get past 29th seed Liudmila Samsonova in the third round and Naomi Osaka in the fourth round.

Quarter-Finals If Seeds Hold

Elena Rybakina (1) v Elina Svitolina (7)

Coco Gauff (3) v Iga Swiatek (8)

Linda Noskova (5) v Mirra Andreeva (4)

Karolina Muchova (6) v Aryna Sabalenka (2)