2017 China Open – Women's singles

Caroline Garcia defeated Simona Halep in the final, 6–4, 7–6(7–3) to win the women's singles tennis title at the 2017 China Open. As of 2019, Garcia is the only player to win singles titles in both Wuhan and Beijing in the same year.

Agnieszka Radwańska was the defending champion, but lost in the third round to Daria Kasatkina.

As a result of Garbiñe Muguruza's retirement in the first round, Halep attained the WTA no. 1 singles ranking for the first time at the end of the tournament by defeating Jeļena Ostapenko in the semifinals.

Seeds
• 🇪🇸 Garbiñe Muguruza (first round, retired)

• 🇷🇴 Simona Halep (final)

• 🇺🇦 Elina Svitolina (quarterfinals)

• 🇨🇿 Karolína Plíšková (third round)

• Caroline Wozniacki (third round)

• 🇬🇧 Johanna Konta (first round)

• 🇷🇺 Svetlana Kuznetsova (first round)

• 🇸🇰 Dominika Cibulková (first round)

• Jeļena Ostapenko (semifinals)

• 🇩🇪 Angelique Kerber (second round)

• 🇵🇱 Agnieszka Radwańska (third round)

• 🇨🇿 Petra Kvitová (semifinals)

• 🇫🇷 Kristina Mladenovic (first round)

• 🇺🇸 CoCo Vandeweghe (second round, retired)

• 🇺🇸 Sloane Stephens (first round)

• Anastasija Sevastova (first round)

The three Wuhan semifinalists who were accepted into the main draw received a bye into the second round. They were as follows: Maria Sakkari, the fourth Wuhan semifinalist, did not have a ranking that qualified her for the main draw. Sakkari withdrew from the qualifying draw as she was still competing in Wuhan.
 * 🇦🇺 Ashleigh Barty
 * 🇫🇷 Caroline Garcia
 * Jeļena Ostapenko

Seeds
• # 🇺🇸 Shelby Rogers (moved to main draw)

• # 🇧🇷 Beatriz Haddad Maia (first round)

• # 🇰🇿 Zarina Diyas (qualifying competition)

• # 🇷🇺 Natalia Vikhlyantseva (moved to main draw)

• # 🇺🇸 Jennifer Brady (qualified)

• # 🇩🇪 Carina Witthöft (qualified)

• # 🇬🇧 Heather Watson (first round)

• # Verónica Cepede Royg (first round)

• # 🇺🇸 Varvara Lepchenko (qualified)

• # Monica Puig (qualifying competition)

• # 🇺🇸 Christina McHale (qualified)

• # Maria Sakkari (withdrew, still competing in Wuhan)

• # 🇺🇸 Madison Brengle (qualified)

• # 🇵🇱 Magda Linette (qualified)

• # 🇹🇳 Ons Jabeur (qualifying competition)

• # 🇪🇸 Lara Arruabarrena (qualified)

• # 🇪🇸 Sara Sorribes Tormo (qualifying competition)

• # Hsieh Su-wei (qualifying competition)

• # 🇧🇾 Aliaksandra Sasnovich (qualifying competition)

Qualifiers
• # 🇺🇸 Varvara Lepchenko

• # 🇩🇪 Andrea Petkovic

• # 🇪🇸 Lara Arruabarrena

• # 🇺🇸 Madison Brengle

• # 🇺🇸 Jennifer Brady

• # 🇩🇪 Carina Witthöft

• # 🇺🇸 Christina McHale

• # 🇵🇱 Magda Linette