Dubai Duty Free WTA 1000

[britbox]

DATE: Feb 15 - Feb 21, 2026
Middle East Swing
SURFACE: Hard
FINANCIAL COMMITMENT: $4,088,211
SINGLES DRAW SIZE: 56
Official Website: https://dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com/
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Mirra Andreeva



Draw and Seeds
1. Rybalina
2. Anismova
3. Gauff
4. Pegula
5. Andreeva Defending champion
6. Paolini
7. Svitolina
8. Alexandrova

The Tournament
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships has become one of the standout stops on the early-season WTA calendar — a tournament where elite competition meets a global stage. Since introducing its women’s singles and doubles events in 2001, Dubai has steadily grown in stature, now firmly established as a WTA 1000 event and a key proving ground in the first phase of the season.

Hosted at the impressive Aviation Club Tennis Centre, the event is played on outdoor hard courts that typically reward aggressive baseline play, first-strike tennis, and confident serving. The conditions — warm evenings, lively crowds, and quick courts — often produce high-quality matchups between the Tour’s biggest names.

Dubai
Dubai is a city in the United Arab Emirates known for luxury shopping, ultramodern architecture and a lively nightlife scene. Burj Khalifa, an 830m-tall tower, dominates the skyscraper-filled skyline.

At its foot lies Dubai Fountain, with jets and lights choreographed to music. On man-made islands just offshore is Atlantis, the Palm, a resort with water and marine-animal parks.

Dubai Write-up by @tented

Tourism

 

[britbox]

The Dubai Duty Free WTA Event is hosted at Aviation Club Tennis Centre. The complex is used for both ATP 500 series and WTA 1000 series stops. The central Dubai Tennis Stadium has a capacity of 5,000 people.

Here's a walkthrough video of the main stadium:

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Sad to say there are many withdrawals including No 1 Sabalenka and No 2 Swiatek
Keys
Osaka
Kudermetova
Boisson
'Lys
Kosttyuk.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

This is the updated Top 8 Seeds after the withdrawal of No 1 Sabalenka and No 2 Swiatek
1. Rybalina
2. Anismova
3. Gauff
4. Pegula
5. Andreeva Defending champion
6. Paolini
7. Svitolina
8. Alexandrova

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

The main draw will take place on Saturday 14th February at 1pm local time

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I have done the projected QFs by seedings,
Top Half,
Rybalina (1) vs Svitolina (7)
Gauff (3) vs Paolini (6)
Bottom Half,
Pegula (4) vs Alexandrova (8)
Anisimova (2) vs Andreeva (5)

Wild Cards,
Sonmez, Bejlek, Tjen and Sun.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Karolina Muchova has withdrawn citing fatique, Sakkari withdrew citing illness, Qinwen Zheng withdrew citing illness.
Dubai tournament director Salah Tahlak, say he was surprised by the late withdrawals of Sabalenka and Swaitek. He believes docking players ranking points would be more effective than fining players for late withdrawals.
BTW,
Sasbalenka has a 3000 point lead, you could dock her points but it wont make a material difference. Players already take zero points if they prefer to miss a tournament, they'd take a direct penalty too, Ultimately you cant make self employed people work if they choose not to.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In the first days play, Sunday 15th February, only one seed lost Samsonova (13) losing in 3 sets to Leylah Fernandez 57 75 63
Baptiste retired in her match in the 2nd set against Eala 46 1-0

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Monday 16th February,
Some of the seeds have their first matches, sad to see there have been soo many withdrawals, a lot have injuries which they sustained from the AO, others have picked up illness while competing in Doha.A lot of the players were saying having to compete in WTA1000 events after a GS at the AO was too much, not having a least a break, now playing 2 WTA1000 events back to back.

Anismova (2) vs Krejcikova
Bencic vs Bouzas Maneiro
Tauson (12) vs Kenin
Mboko (11) vs Cristian
Navarro (14) vs Ruse

Elisabetta Cocciaretto has been a late withdrawal today citing a right thigh injury, her place will be a LL Antonia Ruzic, who will play Emma Racducanu today
Mboko has also withdrawn with a right elbow injury replaced by LL Petra Marcinko
7 LL have now made it into the main draw

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Big win for LL Ruzic who defeated Raducanu 61 57 62. Ruzic served for the 2nd set but ended up in a battle.
Ruzic is a talented ball striker and this is her first Top 30 win, Raducanu fitness levels needs to improve, she faded in the 3rd set, also took a MTO in the 1st set, was given pills, not certain why. Raducanu has yet to defeat a Top 75 player this season and has quite a lot of points to defend soon.

Last years finalist Clara Tauson comes through a tricky opener defeating Kenin 76(4) 62 she will face LL Peyton Steanrs in her next match

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Another withdrawal, but this time it comes from a player who had already won a main draw match
Krejcikova is out, left thigh injury, and Anismova advances to round 3.

 

[britbox]

Day 2 Highlights

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Matches 17th February
Hopefully we will see No More Withdrawals!
The remaining Top 8 seeds start their first round matches.

Pegula (4) vs Gracheva
Andreeva (5) defending champion vs Kasatkina
Gauff (30 vs Kalinskaya
Rybakina (1) vs Birrell
Paolini (6) vs Eala
Alexandrova (8) vs Linette
Svitolina (7) vs Badosa
Noskova (10) vs Cirstea
Tauson (12) vs Stearns LL
Bencic (9) vs Bejlek

 

[Hoergren]

Well - not the best all round play by Tauson against Kenin but then she aced herself out of trouble

 

[Hoergren]

This second round match much more controlled and well played - she's getting the groove - 31 aces in 2 matches

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Kasatkina has withdrawn with a right hip injury and Andreeva gets a walkover to the next round
Badosa retired after the 1st set (back) 4-6 against Svitolina
Bejlek withdrew in her match against Bencic (9) citing a abdominal injury
Ella Seidal retires after losing the opening set 6-0 to Cristian, Cristian advances to the round of 16 where she will play defending champion Andreeva

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

At the Dubai tournament withdrawals are such a clear representation of where the game is! The schedule is filled to the brim especially with the mandatory tournaments on the WTA calendar. 53% of players have with withdrawn or retired. That's a number you should never have at a tournament. Showing how Unrealistic to put on consecutive 1000's 9 days after the AO has finished. More proof change is needed!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just watching the final match in Dubai Paolini v Eala which Eala won 61, the crowd is amazing at Eala matches doing the Mexican Wave and chanting in her matches
Jaz was simply out played by Eala in the 1st set, lets see if she can re set her game in the 2nd set
Eala gets an early break in the 2nd set, she is keeping the ball low to Jaz and not giving her much pace in this match, Jaz looks frustrated to me, keeps looking over to her box.Since Sara Errani has been added to Jaz coaching team this year, I havent seen any improvement or change in Jaz game.
Eala converts with a love service game and leads 3-1 2nd set, a long fhand from Eala and Jaz breaks back
Eala breaks again and leads 4-3 2nd set and leads 5-3
1 MPs for Eala her fhand has been on fire in this match
Great fh from Jaz down the line, deuce
MP No 3 for Eala, back to deuce as Jaz hits a good overhead
Well done Jaz saved 3 MPs
Eala will serve for the match 5-4
Jaz fights back and breaks Eala serving for the match
Eala will serve to force a TB in the 2nd set 5-6
6 games all TB for the 2nd set, this has been a really enthralling match
Who ever stays aggressive and not wait for the other player to make an error I feel will win
Eala the match is on her racquet with a great fhand
Eala with MP No 4, ufe and the match point will be on Jaz 6-5
Eala d Paolini 61 76 (5) with a great fhand winner, well done Eala

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Seeds that lost today Tuesday 17th February
Noskova (10) Alexandrova (8) Paolini (6)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Round of 16
Wednesday 18th February

Anisimova (2) vs Tjen
Andreeva (5) vs Cristian
Rybakina (1) vs Ruzic
Gauff (3) vs Mertens
Eala vs Cirstea
Tauson (12) vs Linette
Pegula (4) vs Jovic (16)