Draw Korea Open 2024 including Raducanu-Stearns and Kasatkina as top seed in depleted field

A WTA 500 this year taking place between September 16 - September 22, the Korea Open has been decimated with the field not now including a top 10 player and is now led by Daria Kasatkina.

Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula, Emma Navarro, Elena Rybakina among others were all signed up for the tournament in Seoul but have all since withdrawing owing to a myriad of factors.

For some the turnaround time is too quick especially given they played Cincinnati and Canada in the weeks prior. While for some, injuries have started to take a toll going into the latter half of the season.

Kasatkina unexpectedly leads the field as a result and she could face Sloane Stephens in the second round. Albeit the main attraction sees Emma Raducanu return to the tour.

She faces a quality first round tie too as she takes on Peyton Stearns, the rising American who will no doubt take the game to the Brit who has garnered criticism for her schedule in recent months. But she will no doubt play more of a part in Asia as she looks to end her season on a high.

Others in Seoul include Liudmila Samsonova, Marta Kostyuk, Beatriz Haddad Maia and also Diana Shnaider. Ties to look out for include Yulia Putintseva v Amanda Anisimova as well as perhaps Ajla Tomljanovic facing likely Haddad Maia in the second round.

A field on paper that looked the strongest of the year now looks very much the opposite and really is an eye opener as they took the first leap into WTA 500 status.

Pegula is defending champion. But she won't defend her title. It was a 6-2, 6-3 win over Yue Yuan in the final. The latter will play though this week and could face Raducanu or Stearns in the second round.