The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships faced disruptions as world number one Aryna Sabalenka and number two Iga Swiatek withdrew late, prompting tournament director Salah Tahlak to demand ranking point deductions from the WTA. Tahlak described the reasons for their exits as strange and argued that fines alone are insufficient. Other top players also pulled out, highlighting concerns over the packed WTA schedule.
The 2026 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships began with significant absences after several high-profile players withdrew shortly before the event. On Friday, February 13, 2026, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek announced their pullouts, following the start of qualifying rounds. Sabalenka, who had lost the Australian Open final to Elena Rybakina and skipped the Qatar Open, cited a right hip injury despite recent practice footage from Atlantis The Royal on Palm Jumeirah. Swiatek, after a quarterfinal loss to Maria Sakkari in Doha, attributed her decision to a schedule adjustment and not being mentally ready to compete.
Tournament director Salah Tahlak expressed frustration during the draw ceremony on Saturday, February 15, 2026. "It was an unfortunate surprise last night to get news of the withdrawal of Aryna and Iga. And the reasons for withdrawal were a bit strange," he told reporters. He consulted the tournament doctor, who described Sabalenka's injury as minor and not severe enough to warrant withdrawal, while questioning Swiatek's choice as unusual.
Tahlak advocated for stricter measures beyond monetary fines, referencing a past $100,000 penalty on Serena Williams that had little impact given her earnings potential. "I feel they should deduct points from the players. A monetary fine won’t help," he stated. He proposed deductions of 500 or 1,000 ranking points and plans to address the issue at an upcoming meeting in Rome with WTA representatives on behalf of international tournaments.
The withdrawals extended beyond the top two seeds. Naomi Osaka cited an abdominal injury, Madison Keys skipped the Middle East swing, Zheng Qinwen and Maria Sakkari withdrew due to illness, Karolina Muchova due to fatigue after winning the Qatar Open, Victoria Mboko due to a right elbow injury, and Elisabetta Cocciaretto also pulled out. Under WTA rules, top players must compete in four Grand Slams, 10 WTA 1000 events, six WTA 500 tournaments, and the Finals if qualified. Both Sabalenka and Swiatek have previously accepted penalties to manage recovery amid schedule complaints. French journalist Benoit Maylin blamed the WTA's "totally absurd schedule" rather than the players. With these absences, Elena Rybakina became the top seed, followed by Amanda Anisimova, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, and defending champion Mirra Andreeva.
