China Open (tennis): Dates, Tickets & Venue (Beijing)

The China Open is one of the biggest stops on the Asian hard-court swing, and it’s the rare combined event where the top men’s and women’s tours share the same grounds in the same week. For 2026, that week runs September 30 through October 6, with ATP and WTA matches overlapping across the National Tennis Center’s courts rather than running as separate tournaments back to back.

The venue: National Tennis Center

Everything happens inside the National Tennis Center, part of the Olympic Green complex built for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The centerpiece is the “Diamond Court,” a lotus-petal-shaped stadium that seats roughly 10,000 and anchors a cluster of outer courts where early rounds play out.

Getting there is straightforward on Beijing’s subway system:

• Take Line 8 to Olympic Green station, then walk through the park past the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube.
• Alternatively, Anzhen Xili or Beitucheng stations on Lines 5, 8, or 10 put you within a longer walk or short taxi ride.
• Expect a 10-15 minute walk from the nearest exit regardless of route, since the tennis center sits toward the back of the Olympic Green grounds.

Arrive with extra time on quarterfinal and semifinal days, when foot traffic through the park thickens.

Matching dates to matches

The men’s ATP 500 draw and women’s WTA 1000 draw both fall inside the September 30-October 6 window, but they don’t necessarily start and finish on identical days within it. Early rounds typically fill the outer courts simultaneously, while the stadium court hosts a mix of both tours until the finals separate out toward the end of the week.

Because scheduling shifts year to year and match times are only released a few days out, treat the dates above as the tournament’s outer boundary rather than a day-by-day itinerary. Confirm the daily order of play and specific match times on the official China Open site once you’ve picked which days to attend.

Buying tickets

Tickets are sold by session rather than as a single all-access pass, so you choose a specific day (or day/evening split, depending on the round) and get access to whichever courts are in play. Grounds passes for early rounds tend to be the most affordable way in, since they let you wander between outer courts and catch multiple matches.

Finals-week sessions for the stadium court cost more and sell out faster, particularly for weekend matches. Reselling and official ticketing typically both run in the lead-up, so:

• Buy through the tournament’s official ticketing partner to avoid inflated resale prices.
• Decide whether you want stadium seating or a grounds pass, since they’re priced and sold differently.
• Confirm current pricing and availability directly on the official site, as these details shift year to year.

Reading the draw like a regular

Regulars at the China Open treat the outer courts as the real show during the first few days. That’s where you can stand close to the baseline for free once you’re inside on a grounds pass, watching players who’ll be unreachable behind stadium security by the weekend.

Bring your passport or ID for the security checkpoint at the venue entrance; bag checks are standard and mirror what you’d see at any major international sporting event in Beijing. Food and drink inside tend toward Chinese fast-casual chains and a handful of Western concession stands, so it’s not a destination for a sit-down meal.

Most seasoned attendees pace themselves across the week rather than trying to catch everything in one day, since the grounds are large and matches on different courts often overlap.

Beyond the courts

Because the National Tennis Center sits inside the Olympic Green, it’s easy to fold a match into a bigger day out. The Bird’s Nest (National Stadium) and Water Cube (National Aquatics Center) are a short walk away, and both remain open to visitors as sightseeing attractions year-round.

If you’re planning a full day, arrive early enough to see one of those landmarks before your session, then finish with tennis in the afternoon or evening. Confirm timing and tickets for both the tournament and any Olympic Green attractions on their respective official sites before you go.