Top-ranked players Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek have withdrawn from the upcoming WTA 1000 Dubai Championships, citing health and scheduling issues. The tournament, set for February 15-21, 2026, will now feature Elena Rybakina as the top seed. Both players expressed regret over their decisions and hope to return next year.
The Dubai Championships, a prestigious WTA 1000 event following the Qatar Open in Doha, faces a significant setback with the withdrawals of Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek. Scheduled from Sunday, February 15, to Saturday, February 21, 2026, the tournament would have seen Sabalenka and Swiatek as the top two seeds, given their rankings as world No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, though one report identifies Swiatek as No. 1.
Sabalenka, who has not played since her Australian Open final loss to Elena Rybakina last month and also skipped the Qatar Open, stated: “I’m really sorry I have to withdraw from Dubai. I have such a special connection with the tournament, the fans and the city. Unfortunately, I am not feeling 100%. But I hope to be back next year and wish the tournament a great event.” Swiatek, who reached the quarter-finals in Doha before losing to Maria Sakkari, explained her absence as due to a “change of schedule,” saying: “I am sorry to announce that I will not be playing Dubai this year due to a change of schedule. I hope I will come back next year to experience the great tournament. See you guys in Indian Wells.”
With the duo out, world No. 3 Elena Rybakina becomes the top seed, while fourth-ranked Amanda Anisimova moves up to No. 2. This reshapes the draw for the event in Dubai.
Both players have previously voiced concerns about the demanding WTA schedule. Ahead of the 2026 Australian Open, Sabalenka noted her plan to skip events to protect her body, criticizing mandatory tournament rules: “The rules are quite tricky with mandatory events, but I’m still skipping a couple of events in order to protect my body... I think they just follow their interests, but they’re not focusing on protecting all of us.” Swiatek echoed this after her Australian Open quarter-final exit: “I think we’ll skip some 1000 tournaments... Unfortunately, calendar doesn’t give that.”
