Aryna Sabalenka chases Iga Swiatek, Emma Raducanu looks to surge, Naomi Osaka on home turf: 5 WTA Asian swing talking points

Events are already underway in Seoul and Hua Hin but with two huge WTA 1000 events in Beijing and Wuhan to come, alongside big events in Tokyo and Osaka, it could be a huge period for several players.

With action having started, we look at five key talking points to watch on the WTA this swing.

Sabalenka chases Swiatek in world No 1 battle
Aryna Sabalenka’s US Open triumph has shifted the balance of power on the WTA, with the Belarusian’s victory ensuring that Iga Swiatek is no longer the sole dominant force on tour.

Now, the world No 2 will look to close the gap on the Pole and reclaim the world No 1 ranking she held for a short period last year.

The focus of this battle will be at the WTA 1000 event in Beijing, where Swiatek is the defending champion from a year ago.

She has 1,000 ranking points to defend while having been beaten in the quarter-finals, Sabalenka only has 215 points to defend in comparison.

Swiatek has just over 2,000 points more at the moment, but this swing across Beijing, Wuhan and other events could prove key in the race for year-end No 1.