Guo Hanyu is turning heads at this year’s National Bank Open! Ranked No. 259 and playing as a qualifier, Guo just stormed into the Round of 64 with a convincing 6-3, 6-3 win over Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva in the women’s singles opening round on Monday. While she’s dazzled fans with five doubles titles and her name rings out on the tour as a doubles specialist, singles glory has been rare—until now. Most of her time on court has been in ITF singles events, but at the Canadian Open, she made a statement by blanking Mihaela Buzarnescu from Romania 6-0, 6-0 to book her spot in the main draw.

Now, with the next match pitting her against a six-time Grand Slam champ, Iga Swiatek! The spotlight is firmly on the 27-year-old. But how did Guo get here? Let’s take a peek at her roots.

Where is Guo Hanyu from? What’s her nationality?

Born on May 18, 1998, in Zhengzhou—the bustling capital of Henan Province in central China— Hanyu has tennis in her blood and China in her heart. She proudly competes under the Chinese flag, with her hometown playing a key role in launching her tennis journey. Zhengzhou, a city rich in history yet rapidly modernizing, shaped her early days on the court and set the stage for the rising star she is today.

Guo’s climb through the ranks is impressive and full of energy. She reached a career-high WTA singles ranking of No.259 on July 28, 2025, and soared to No.30 in doubles as of January 13, 2025. She burst onto the WTA main-draw scene at the 2017 Tianjin Open, clearing tough qualifying rounds. Known as a doubles powerhouse, Guo has grabbed two title wins this year alone—Bad Homburg and Adelaide, both with Alexandra Panova—and was a finalist at Strasbourg with Nicole Melichar-Martinez.

She currently stands at No.33 in the WTA doubles rankings. Add her earlier triumphs—2024 titles in Jiujiang with Moyuka Uchijima and Monterrey with Monica Niculescu, plus a 2023 win in Guangzhou with Jiang Xinyu—and a series of runner-up spots. While her journey through the sport is impressive, her roots are to thank!

What is Guo Hanyu’s ethnicity and religion?

The 27-year-old is of Han Chinese ethnicity, born and raised in mainland China. All the public details point to her family heritage being fully Chinese. Her background and surname, one of the most common among Han Chinese, confirm this. So far, there’s no public info on her religious beliefs or affiliation; her religion hasn’t been disclosed in any known sources.

Which high school did Guo Hanyu attend?

Hanyu’s journey matches her powerful game. Born in Zhengzhou, Henan, she cherishes her roots but grew up through training and studies in lively Chongqing and Chengdu. Now a grad student at Southwest University’s School of Sports, Guo splits her time between dorms, classrooms, and training courts. “Dormitory, classroom and tennis training court, that’s where you can find me,” she said with a smile. She majors in physical education and minors in psychology, sharpening her mental game to stay cool and adapt strategy under pressure.

On court, Guo’s name is etched in Chinese sports history. At the 2019 Naples Universiade, she and partner Ye Qiuyu won women’s doubles gold—the first Chinese duo to do so since Li Na and Li Ting in 2001—and also snagged the women’s team gold. She’s open about her longtime bond with Jiang Xinyu, who studies in Chengdu: “Although we study in different cities, we’ve trained together since we were young and know each other well.” Even at the top, Guo keeps it real, rating her Naples doubles performance a “6 out of 10” and always pushing to improve.

Though deeply tied to Zhengzhou, Guo’s story grows richer with every match. Her high school education remains a mystery, but her university path blends athletic rigor and academic curiosity. Her psychology minor reveals her mental edge—merging strategy and calm to meet tennis’s high-stakes challenges. So far, no public info confirms where or how she finished high school, keeping that chapter under wraps.