The BNB Ningbo Open, following the final WTA 1000 event of the season in Wuhan, is set to take place as the penultimate WTA 500 event of 2026. This marks the tournament's third year at this level, with defending champion and World No. 1 Elena Rybakina leading the competitors as she prepares for the WTA Finals at Indian Wells.

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Main draw matches are scheduled to begin on Monday, October 19, and run until the finals on Sunday, October 25. The singles final will not start before 5 p.m. local time, following the doubles final at 2:30 p.m.

Time conversions for the finals are as follows: 5 p.m. China Standard Time = 5 a.m. Eastern Time, 9 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time.

**Dates for Each Round:**

Singles:

- First round: October 19-20

- Second round: October 21-22

- Quarterfinals: October 23

- Semifinals: October 24

- Final: October 25

Doubles:

- First round: October 19-21

- Quarterfinals: October 22

- Semifinals: October 24

- Final: October 25

The tournament will feature a 28-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles draw, with the top four singles players receiving byes into the second round. Projected seeded players include:

- Elena Rybakina

- Elina Svitolina

- Iga Swiatek

- Marta Kostyuk

Other entrants include Iva Jovic, Belinda Bencic, Diana Shnaider, Elise Mertens, and several others, with wild cards yet to be announced. Notable withdrawals include Anna Kalinskaya due to illness and Jessica Pegula. Diane Parry and Leylah Fernandez have moved into the main draw.

The main draw is set to be finalized at 7 p.m. local time on Saturday, October 17.

In the previous year's tournament, Rybakina claimed her 10th career singles title by defeating Ekaterina Alexandrova 3-6, 6-0, 6-2. This victory contributed significantly to her subsequent successes, including winning the 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh and two more Grand Slam titles in 2026.

In doubles, the defending champions Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Liudmila Samsonova won against Timea Babos and Luisa Stefani by a score of 5-7, 6-4, [10-8].

The total prize pool for the tournament is approximately $1,206,446, with up to 500 ranking points available for players and teams based on their progress. Here’s a breakdown of the prize money:

**Singles Prize Money and Points:**

- First round: 1 point | $12,700

- Second round: 60 points | $17,795

- Quarterfinal: 108 points | $33,475

- Semifinal: 195 points | $66,003

- Finalist: 325 points | $114,500

- Champion: 500 points | $185,500

Qualifying for the main draw awards 25 ranking points.

**Doubles Prize Money and Points:**

- First round: 1 point | $6,800

- Quarterfinal: 108 points | $11,150

- Semifinal: 195 points | $21,720

- Finalist: 325 points | $37,400

- Champion: 500 points | $61,540.