In a significant blow to the upcoming Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, the world’s top two ranked players have announced their withdrawal from the prestigious WTA 1000 event. Aryna Sabalenka (World No. 1) and Iga Swiatek (World No. 2) will both be absent from the tournament commencing February 15th.
Sabalenka, the four-time Grand Slam champion who recently reached her fourth Australian Open final, expressed deep regret over her decision. The Belarusian star has maintained a perfect attendance record at the Dubai event for the past nine consecutive years. ‘I’m really sorry I have to withdraw from Dubai,’ Sabalenka stated. ‘I have such a special connection with the tournament, the fans and the city. Unfortunately, I am not feeling 100 per cent. But I hope to be back next year and wish the tournament a great event.’
World No. 2 Iga Swiatek, who reached the Dubai final in 2023, also withdrew citing scheduling changes. The Polish player announced, ‘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.’
Tournament organizers expressed disappointment while extending their support to both athletes. An official statement read: ‘We are sorry that Aryna and Iga have both withdrawn from this year’s tournament. They both have huge amounts of followers here in Dubai, and we were looking forward to seeing them competing on our courts once again. We wish them continued success for the season and look forward to seeing them back in Dubai next year.’
Despite these high-profile withdrawals, the 26th edition of the tournament still features a strong field with 16 of the top 20 and 33 of the top 40 ranked female players expected to compete. The women’s event from February 15-21 will be followed by Dubai’s ATP 500 men’s tournament from February 23-28.