Several high-profile players, including world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 Iga Swiatek, have withdrawn from the 2026 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Tournament director Salah Tahlak has urged the WTA to impose ranking point deductions for late withdrawals instead of fines. The absences, cited for injuries, illness, and fatigue, have reshaped the draw with Elena Rybakina as the top seed.
The 2026 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, a mandatory WTA 1000 event, began on February 15 with a series of notable withdrawals impacting the field. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka pulled out due to a hip injury, having also skipped the Qatar Open. She 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%.” World No. 2 Iga Swiatek cited a change of schedule following her quarterfinal loss to Maria Sakkari in Doha, saying, “I am feeling very drained right now, both mentally and physically.”
Other withdrawals included Zheng Qinwen and Maria Sakkari due to illness, with Zheng exiting just before her match against Peyton Stearns after reaching the Round of 16 in Doha. Karolina Muchova withdrew citing fatigue after winning her first WTA 1000 title in Doha against Victoria Mboko 6-4, 7-5. She had said, “I haven’t had a second to think about anything yet, but I’ll for sure go to Dubai tomorrow and see how I feel and decide there.” Additional absences featured Naomi Osaka with an abdominal injury, Madison Keys due to a change of schedule, and McCartney Kessler with a back injury, alongside Marta Kostyuk, Veronika Kudermetova, Marketa Vondrousova, and others.
Dubai tournament director Salah Tahlak expressed frustration over the late notices, which came one day before the draw. He questioned the severity of Sabalenka’s injury, noting the tournament doctor described it as minor, and called Swiatek’s decision strange. Tahlak advocated for harsher penalties, stating, “The only way to make sure the top players come and play is by docking them points. Fines do not work anymore.” He referenced past fines, like Serena Williams’ $100,000 penalty, as insufficient given players’ earnings. Under current WTA rules, late withdrawals from mandatory events result in fines and zero-pointers on rankings, with limited exemptions for schedule changes.
Both Sabalenka and Swiatek are expected to return at Indian Wells. With the top seeds out, Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina leads the draw, seeded ahead of Amanda Anisimova. The tournament proceeds with adjusted matchups, including lucky losers like Anastasia Zakharova and Kamilla Rakhimova entering the first round.