On October 21, the 2024 Guangzhou International Women’s Tennis Open kicked off its main draw, and Chinese player Wei Sijia made a strong impression by defeating sixth seed Slámková with a score of 6-1, 6-4, successfully advancing past the first round of singles. In doubles, the top-seeded pair of Zhang Shuai and Siniakova cruised to an impressive victory against Liu Leyi and Nima Zhuoma, finishing with a score of 6-0, 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals.

As the tournament continued on October 22, several prominent Chinese players were set to take the stage in the first round of women’s singles. Matches involving four players from the Chinese Tennis Association were scheduled in the main stadium. Notably, young wildcard entrant Shi Han was set to face France’s qualification player Ponsé at 11 AM, followed by Wang Xiyu matching up against Dutch player Rus. The day’s final daytime match would see third seed Yuan Yue, a Guangdong native, take on Belgian Minnen.

The night session promised to be particularly exciting, featuring a spotlight match between two-time champion Zhang Shuai and eighth seed Rahimova. At just 23 years old, Rahimova is currently ranked 61st in the world. She’s made it to the main draw in the first three tournaments of the Chinese season through qualification rounds but has yet to progress beyond the second round, having faced defeats against Zheng Qinwen at the China Open, Fernandez at the Wuhan Open, and Wang Xiyu in Ningbo.

On the evening of October 21, the tournament celebrated its 20th anniversary with a welcoming gala, the Avita Night, held at the Lingnan Oriental Hotel in Nansha, Guangzhou. A host of distinguished guests and player representatives gathered to commemorate this significant milestone. The atmosphere was electrified by a traditional lion dance performance, which received enthusiastic applause from attendees and players alike.