Naomi Osaka and Madison Keys have pulled out of the upcoming Dubai Tennis Championships, adding to a wave of withdrawals affecting the WTA event. The four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka cited ongoing fitness concerns after her Australian Open withdrawal, while Keys follows a pattern of skipping Middle East tournaments. Their absences, alongside several others, leave the field more open despite nine top-10 players remaining.
A series of withdrawals has hit the WTA Tour's Middle East swing, with Naomi Osaka and Madison Keys confirming their absence from the Dubai Tennis Championships scheduled for next week. This follows disruptions at the Qatar Open, where multiple players also exited early.
Osaka, who reached the third round at the Australian Open with a win over Sorana Cirstea, withdrew from that tournament due to a recurring abdominal injury. She has not played since and plans to return at Indian Wells and the Miami Open in March. Keys, unable to defend her Australian Open title, has skipped both Doha and Dubai, consistent with her absence from the region since 2023. She previously expressed frustration over missing the ATX Open.
Replacements include Kateřina Siniaková for Keys and Alexandra Eala for Osaka. Other notable pullouts are Eva Lys, dealing with a knee issue from the United Cup; Loïs Boisson; Veronika Kudermetova; Marketa Vondrousova, recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in Adelaide and missing her third straight major event; McCartney Kessler, sidelined by a back injury after withdrawing late from Doha; and Wang Xinyu, who reached the Doha round of 16 before losing to Elena Rybakina 6-2, 6-4.
Earlier, Marta Kostyuk withdrew after tearing a ligament in Melbourne, while Qatar saw absences from Aryna Sabalenka, recovering from her Australian Open final loss to Rybakina; Jessica Pegula, resting after her semifinal defeat; and Iva Jovic, with no injury reported and a possible Dubai return.
Nine of the WTA's top 10 players, including defending champion Mirra Andreeva, remain in Dubai's field, promising competition despite the uncertainties. More changes could occur before the event starts.