The initial entry list for the Prudential Hong Kong Open has been released, with the tournament set to take place from October 9-15 and include the likes of Victoria Azarenka, Mirra Andreeva, and Beatriz Haddad Maia.

This will be the tenth edition of the WTA 250 event, which has not been held since 2018 due to the WTA's boycott of tournaments in China. This came after concerns were raised about the safety and whereabouts of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai. Prior to this, tournaments were not being held in the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite continued silence regarding Shuai, the WTA has decided to end their boycott, meaning players will return to tournaments such as the Hong Kong Open on the Asian swing this fall.

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Haddad Maia is highest-ranked entrant

The top-ranked player on the entry list is Haddad Maia, who is currently the World No. 15. The Brasilian player was ousted in the second round of the recent US Open but came back at the San Diego Open last week to reach the quarter-finals.

Accompanying Haddad Maia will be three top 30 players - former World No. 1 and current World No. 23 Victoria Azarenka, World No. 27 Anastasia Potapova, and World No. 29 Elise Mertens.

Rounding out the top eight seeds will be 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens, as well as Mayar Sherif, Anna Blinkova, and Xinyu Wang.

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Andreeva, Kostyuk, and Sorribes Tormo among rest

The list also includes World No. 45 Marta Kostyuk and World No. 51 Sara Sorribes Tormo.

Although the defending champion Dayana Yastremska will not return this year, 2017 Hong Kong Open champion Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova will be coming back to Victoria Park in an attempt to re-gain her title.

Meanwhile, rising talents such as Andreeva, Peyton Stearns, Linda Noskova, and Linda Fruhvirtova will also be participating in the tournament.

There will also be four wild cards and six qualifiers competing in the WTA 250 event.

2023 Prudential Hong Kong Open Entry List

1. Beatriz Haddad Maia

2 Victoria Azarenka

3 Anastasia Potapova

4 Elise Mertens

5 Mayar Sherif

6 Sloane Stephens

7 Anna Blinkova

8 Xinyu Wang

Linda Noskova

Varvara Gracheva

Peyton Stearns

Marta Kostyuk

Sara Sorribes Tormo

Martina Trevisan

Mirra Andreeva

Elina Avanesyan

Magdalena Frech

Linda Fruhvirtova

Leylah Fernandez

Kamilla Rakhimova

Cristina Bucsa

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

(WC) Top 20

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