{"id":1776540,"date":"2026-02-17T16:30:20","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T13:30:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1776540"},"modified":"2026-02-17T16:30:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T13:30:20","slug":"dubai-tennis-championships-withdrawals-and-retirements-field-at-wta-1000-event-decimated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1776540","title":{"rendered":"Dubai Tennis Championships withdrawals and retirements: Field at WTA 1000 event decimated"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"ps-article-content rounded-lg lg:mt-5 lg:border lg:border-card lg:bg-card lg:shadow-primary\">\n<header>\n<h1 class=\"py-4 text-xl font-normal text-title sm:text-2xl\">Dubai Tennis Championships withdrawals and retirements: Field at WTA 1000 event decimated<\/h1>\n<div class=\"my-2 flex items-center justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/author\/oli-dickson-jefford\" class=\"text-sm font-normal !text-author\"><br \/>\n                            Oli Dickson Jefford                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <time class=\"ml-3 text-sm font-normal text-info md:ml-4\" datetime=\"17 Feb 2026 4:30 PM\" data-ps-date=\"17 Feb 2026 4:30 PM\" data-ps-datetime=\"1771345820\"><br \/>\n                            17 Feb 2026 4:30 PM                        <\/time>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"hidden justify-end space-x-4 text-xl sm:flex sm:!opacity-100\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-features\/dubai-tennis-championships-withdrawals-retirements-field-wta-1000-decimated\" class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" aria-label=\"Share to facebook\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a 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hover:!text-brand\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/share.flipboard.com\/bookmarklet\/popout?v=2&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-features%2Fdubai-tennis-championships-withdrawals-retirements-field-wta-1000-decimated\" aria-label=\"Share to flipboard\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"sm:hidden flex items-center space-x-5\">\n                        <a class=\"!text-share-icon hover:!text-share-icon-active flex items-center justify-center\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" aria-label=\"Follow Tennis365 on Google Search\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <button id=\"t365-article-share-btn\" class=\"mr-2 hidden h-6 w-6 appearance-none border-none !text-share-icon outline-none hover:!text-share-icon-active sm:hidden\" data-title=\"Dubai Tennis Championships withdrawals and retirements: Field at WTA 1000 event decimated\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5 border-b border-page\"><\/div>\n<section>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5\">\n<figure class=\"aspect-h-9 aspect-w-16 relative\">\n                                        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1320\" height=\"742\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover object-center !my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/images.ps-aws.com\/c?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Fcontent%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F07%2FIga-Swiatek-and-Aryna-Sabalenka-1320x742.jpg\" alt=\"Pictured: Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka\">                <\/figure><figcaption class=\"flex items-center space-x-3 border-b border-mobile-caption px-3 lg:border-caption\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-1.5 break-words !text-xs !text-content\">\n                                Left to right: Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka                            <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<div class=\"ciam-article-t365\">\n<p>The Dubai Tennis Championships is one of the biggest titles up for grabs on the WTA Tour, but the 2026 edition of the event is making headlines for all the wrong reasons.<\/p>\n<p>The event is attracting huge attention for the sheer volume of pre-tournament and mid-tournament withdrawals, alongside a handful of mid-match retirements \u2014 with the physical toll of the sport already taking its toll just two months into the season.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/aryna-sabalenka-iga-swiatek-withdraw-wta-dubai-championships-2026\">World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No 2 Iga Swiatek were among the players to withdraw before the women\u2019s singles draw was made on Saturday<\/a>, and they are far from the only players out of the event.<\/p>\n<h2>Tennis News<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/australian-open\/australian-open-blow-united-states-tennis-association-make-announcement-next-week\">Australian Open suffers big blow with United States Tennis Association \u2018set to make announcement next week\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-features\/prize-money-elena-rybakina-aryna-sabalenka-iga-swiatek-coco-gauff-karolina-muchova-2026\">Prize money earned by Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Karolina Muchova in 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Qatar Open champion Karolina Muchova and beaten finalist Victoria Mboko also pulled out of the WTA 1000 tournament, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/wta-tour\/dubai-championships-withdrawal-list-grows-with-victoria-mboko-the-latest-to-pull-out\">with the turnaround between Doha and Dubai proving too quick for both women<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Here, we look at every single player who has been forced out of action in Dubai.<\/p>\n<h2>Withdrew from entry list<\/h2>\n<p>A staggering 11 different players withdrew from the entry list before the draw was made. Four of these players were expected to be among the 16 seeds:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Aryna Sabalenka \u2013 world No 1 (<em>as of February 16, 2026<\/em>)<\/li>\n<li>Iga Swiatek \u2013 world No 2<\/li>\n<li>Naomi Osaka \u2013 world No 16<\/li>\n<li>Madison Keys \u2013 world No 17<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A further seven players on the entry list, who would have been unseeded in the draw, also pulled out before the draw was made:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Lois Boisson \u2013 world No 35<\/li>\n<li>McCartney Kessler \u2013 world No 31<\/li>\n<li>Marta Kostyuk \u2013 world No 26<\/li>\n<li>Veronika Kudermetova \u2013 world No 49<\/li>\n<li>Eva Lys \u2013 world No 59<\/li>\n<li>Karolina Pliskova \u2013 world No 267 (PR)<\/li>\n<li>Marketa Vondrousova \u2013\u00a0 world No 37<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Withdrew after draw<\/h2>\n<p>Five players withdrew after the draw was made, but before their opening matches at the event:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Elisabetta Cocciaretto \u2013 world No 40, came through qualifying<\/li>\n<li>Victoria Mboko \u2013 world No 10<\/li>\n<li>Karolina Muchova \u2013 world No 11<\/li>\n<li>Maria Sakkari \u2013 world No 34<\/li>\n<li>Zheng Qinwen \u2013 world No 24<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Withdrew mid-tournament<\/h2>\n<p>As of Tuesday, February 17, three women have now pulled out of the event mid-tournament:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Barbora Krejcikova \u2013 world No 53, Round 2 walkover awarded to Amanda Anisimova<\/li>\n<li>Daria Kasatkina \u2013 world No 61, Round 2 walkover awarded to Mirra Andreeva<\/li>\n<li>Sara Bejlek \u2013 world No 41, Round 2 walkover awarded to Belinda Bencic<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Retired mid-tournament<\/h2>\n<p>As of Tuesday, February 17, four players had retired midway through matches at the event.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Jaqueline Cristian \u2013 world No 39, l. 6-0, 0-0 ret. vs Ella Seidel in Round 2<\/li>\n<li>Hailey Baptiste \u2013 world No 45, l. 6-4, 0-1 ret. vs Alex Eala in Round 1<\/li>\n<li>Paula Badosa \u2013 world No 70, l. 6-4, 0-0 ret. vs Elina Svitolina in Round<\/li>\n<li>Tereza Valentova \u2013 world No 43, l. 0-6, 6-3, 5-0 vs Kimberly Birrell in Qualifying Round 1<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Want more from Tennis365? Add us as <a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\">a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for tennis coverage you can trust.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Read Next<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-features\/emma-raducanu-prize-money-ranking-points-dubai-championships-2026\">What prize money &amp; ranking points did Emma Raducanu earn at Dubai Championships?<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dubai Tennis Championships withdrawals and retirements: Field at WTA 1000 event decimated Oli Dickson Jefford 17 Feb 2026 4:30 PM Left to right: Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka The Dubai Tennis Championships is one of the biggest titles up for grabs on the WTA Tour, but the 2026 edition of the event is making headlines [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,249],"class_list":["post-1776540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-tennis365-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1776540","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1776540"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1776540\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1776540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1776540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1776540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}