China's Zhang Shuai, ranked No 32 in the world, will feature in the main draw, while Wang Qiang, Zheng Saisai and Wang Yafan will likely have to qualify.

Since joining the WTA Tour in 2014, Wuhan has established itself at the heart of the WTA's "Asian swing" and this could prove to be the tournament's strongest year yet.

To mark the fifth anniversary, event organizer Wuhan Sports Development and Investment Co Ltd is offering all-day tickets for just 50 yuan ($7) for Sept 23-26 inclusive. Over those four days, a possible 68 matches will be played at Optics Valley International Tennis Center.

Fans can also book free tickets for the opening matches on the official Wuhan Open website.

Other activities to promote the tournament and city were launched last year, including a ball kids exchange program with the French Open and opportunities for aspiring young journalists from middle schools to report on the competition.

Fans can expect more of the same this year, with the addition of a "SuperFans Project", which will select a number of grassroots tournament ambassadors from spectators in attendance. The ambassadors will pocket VIP tickets for the tournament and have a chance to interact with the players.