The field consists of the top eleven players not already qualified for the 2017 WTA Finals, plus either the 12th-player not qualified for 2017 WTA Finals, or a wild card. The final two alternates for the 2017 WTA Finals would have been eligible to play in WTA Elite Trophy even if they had participated in the WTA Finals. Point totals are calculated by combining points obtained from sixteen tournaments. Of these sixteen tournaments, a player's results from the four Grand Slam events, the four Premier Mandatory tournaments, and the best results from two Premier 5 tournaments must be included.
Doubles qualifying
Two teams composed of players that did not compete in the WTA Finals singles or doubles competitions, using the players’ combined doubles rankings as of the Monday after the final regular-season Tournament of the current Tour Year to determine the order of acceptance; and up to two teams composed of players that did not compete in the WTA Finals singles or doubles competitions and that include at least one Elite Trophy Singles Qualified Player or Elite Trophy Alternate, using the higher of the players’ combined singles or doubles rankings as of the Monday after the final regular-season Tournament of the current Tour Year to determine the order of acceptance. Plus two wild cards. For each wild card not given out, the next highest pair of players shall become a participant.
Format
The singles event features twelve players in a round robin event, split into four groups of three. Over the first four days of competition, each player meets the other two players in her group, with the winner in each group advancing to the semifinal. The winners of each semifinal meet in the championship match. The six doubles teams will be split into two round robin groups, with the winner of each advancing to the final.
, former WTA World No.1 and 22-time Grand Slam champion, continued as Tournament Ambassador for the 2017 WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai, helping promote the third edition of this elite year-end women’s tennis event.
The total prize money for the Hengqin Life 2017 WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai was US $2,280,935. Undefeated champion: $673,300
1 RR means prize money or points won in the round robin.
Qualified players
Singles
Players in gold qualified.
The player in dark gold was awarded a wildcard.
Players in brown withdrew from consideration from playing the tournament.
† The player's ranking at the time did not qualify her to play this event. Accordingly, the player's next best result is counted in its place. ‡ The player was not a Top 20 player at the end of 2016 and therefore not required to count her two best Premier 5 results. Accordingly, the player's next best result is counted in its place.
