Magdalena Frech will face qualifier Elsa Jacquemot in the first round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing after Petra Marcinko withdrew due to injury. The match was rescheduled after Marcinko suffered a lower back injury prior to what would have been the first career meeting between the Polish player and the Croatian.
Jacquemot, who earned her place in the main draw through the qualifying tournament, officially stepped in as the replacement. Frech and Jacquemot are familiar opponents, having previously met on court four times.
Head-to-Head Record and Ranking Advantage
Frech holds a strong record against the French qualifier, having won three of their four previous encounters. The Polish player won their first career meeting as well as the two most recent matches between the pair, making her the favorite to reach the second round.
The ranking gap between the two players also points toward Frech. World No. 48 Frech enters the match as the higher-ranked player, while Jacquemot is currently ranked world No. 165. The sudden change of opponent could prove advantageous for the Pole as she looks to build momentum in China.
Frech arrives in Beijing following a mixed 2026 season. She reached a single WTA final in March at the Merida Open in Mexico, where she lost to Cristina Bucsa. That result was followed by a difficult run of five consecutive match defeats, though her form has shown signs of recovery in recent weeks.
Schedule for Polish Players in Beijing
Frech is part of a strong Polish representation at the China Open in Beijing, a premier WTA 1000 hard-court event. She is joined in the main draw by world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, Magda Linette, Maja Chwalińska, and Katarzyna Kawa.
Kawa secured her spot in the main draw on Tuesday morning after winning her final qualifying match against Valeriya Savinykh 6-3, 7-5. Kawa will be the first Polish player in action, taking on Daria Snigur on Wednesday, September 30. Frech is also scheduled to play her opening match against Jacquemot later on Wednesday.
On Thursday, October 1, Magda Linette will be the sole Polish player on court when she faces Katerina Siniakova. Maja Chwalińska enters the tournament in the second round on Friday, October 2, meeting either Caty McNally or Dayana Yastremska. Should Frech and Kawa win their opening matches, both could also feature in second-round action on Friday.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek will be the last of the Polish contingent to play her opening match. Swiatek is scheduled to take to the court on Saturday, October 3, against the winner of the first-round match between Xinyu Gao and Panna Udvardy.
