Aryna Sabalenka is likely to return here in what could be called the first big tournament after the Australian Open ahead of the run-in towards the so-called Sunshine Double in Indian Wells and Miami.
Schedule/Results Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships WTA
Second Round
| Date/Time | Player 1 | Result | Player 2 |
| 17-2 16:00 | Elena Rybakina | Kimberly Birrell | |
| 17-2 11:45 | Antonia Ruzic | 6-1, 6-7, 6-1 | Anastasia Zakharova |
| 17-2 9:00 | Belinda Bencic | W/O | Sara Bejlek |
| 17-2 13:15 | Paula Badosa | 4-6 | Elina Svitolina |
| 17-2 11:15 | Coco Gauff | 6-, 6-4 | Anna Kalinskaya |
| 17-2 10:10 | Elise Mertens | 6-2, 6-2 | Emma Navarro |
| 17-2 14:45 | Linda Noskova | Sorana Cirstea | |
| 17-2 17:30 | Alexandra Eala | Jasmine Paolini | |
| 17-2 8:10 | Ekaterina Alexandrova | 2-6, 6-4, 1-6 | Magda Linette |
| 17-2 8:10 | Peyton Stearns | 2-6, 4-6 | Clara Tauson |
| 17-2 9:45 | Iva Jovic | 6-4, 1-6, 6-0 | Diana Shnaider |
| 17-2 8:10 | Varvara Gracheva | 4-6, 0-6 | Jessica Pegula |
| 17-2 9:00 | Mirra Andreeva | W/O | Daria Kasatkina |
| 17-2 11:00 | Ella Seidel | 0-6 | Jaqueline Cristian |
| 16-2 11:00 | Leylah Fernandez | 6-7, 4-6 | Janice Tjen |
| 16-2 17:00 | Barbora Krejcikova | W/O | Amanda Anisimova |
First Round
| Date/Time | Player 1 | Result | Player 2 |
| Elena Rybakina (1) | Bye | ||
| 15-2 9:50 | Tatjana Maria | 4-6, 6-3, 5-7 | Kimberly Birrell (Q) |
| 16-2 12:30 | Antonia Ružić (LL) | 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 | Emma Raducanu |
| 16-2 11:00 | Moyuka Uchijima | 2-6, 4-6 | Anastasia Zakharova (LL) |
| 16-2 11:00 | Belinda Bencic (9) | 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 | Jessica Bouzas Maneiro |
| 15-2 17:30 | Zeynep Sonmez | 2-6, 2-6 | Sára Bejlek (WC) |
| 16-2 14:00 | Katerina Siniakova | 3-6, 5-7 | Paula Badosa |
| Elina Svitolina (7) | Bye | ||
| Coco Gauff (3) | Bye | ||
| 16-2 12:30 | Jelena Ostapenko | 6-2, 1-6, 4-6 | Anna Kalinskaya |
| 15-2 10:35 | Marie Bouzkova | 2-6, 2-6 | Elise Mertens |
| 15-2 8:00 | Elena-Gabriela Ruse (Q) | 4-6, 5-7 | Emma Navarro (14) |
| 15-2 8:10 | Linda Nosková (10) | 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 | Ann Li |
| 16-2 9:30 | Sorana Cirstea | 6-3, 7-6 | Aliaksandra Sasnovich (Q) |
| 15-2 16:10 | Hailey Baptiste (LL) | 4-6, 1-0 | Alexandra Eala |
| Jasmine Paolini (6) | Bye | ||
| Ekaterina Alexandrova (8) | Bye | ||
| 15-2 14:45 | Lulu Sun (WC) | 6-4, 4-6, 1-6 | Magda Linette |
| 15-2 9:45 | Peyton Stearns (LL) | 6-4, 6-2 | Magdalena Frech (LL) |
| 16-2 9:30 | Sofia Kenin | 6-7, 2-6 | Clara Tauson (12) |
| 16-2 7:30 | Iva Jovic (16) | 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 | Kamilla Rakhimova |
| 15-2 13:20 | Diana Shnaider | 6-4, 6-1 | Maya Joint |
| 16-2 8:20 | Varvara Gracheva (Q) | 7-5, 1-6, 6-4 | Rebecca Sramkova |
| Jessica Pegula (4) | Bye | ||
| Mirra Andreeva (5) | Bye | ||
| 16-2 9:30 | Laura Siegemund | 2-6, 3-6 | Daria Kasatkina |
| 15-2 14:00 | Ella Seidel (Q) | 6-1, 6-4 | Cristina Bucsa |
| 16-2 16:00 | Jaqueline Cristian | 6-1, 6-1 | Petra Marčinko (LL) |
| 15-2 12:20 | Liudmila Samsonova (13) | 7-5, 5-7, 3-6 | Leylah Fernandez |
| 15-2 9:10 | Dayana Yastremska | 4-6, 1-6 | Janice Tjen (WC) |
| 15-2 11:30 | Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova | 4-6, 4-6 | Barbora Krejcikova |
| Amanda Anisimova | Bye |
Draw Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships WTA
| Player 1 | v | Player 2 |
| Elena Rybakina | v | Bye |
| Tatjana Maria | v | Qualifier |
| Qualifier | v | Emma Raducanu |
| Qualifier | v | Karolina Muchova |
| Belinda Bencic | v | Jessica Bouzas Maneiro |
| Zeynep Sonmez | v | Sara Bejlek |
| Katerina Siniakova | v | Paula Badosa |
| Elina Svitolina | v | Bye |
| Coco Gauff | v | Bye |
| Jelena Ostapenko | v | Anna Kalinskaya |
| Marie Bouzkova | v | Elise Mertens |
| Qualifier | v | Emma Navarro |
| Linda Noskova | v | Ann Li |
| Sorana Cirstea | v | Qualifier |
| Qualifier | v | Alexandra Eala |
| Jasmine Paolini | v | Bye |
| Ekaterina Alexandrova | v | Bye |
| Lulu Sun | v | Magda Linette |
| Qualifier | v | Zheng Qinwen |
| Sofia Kenin | v | Clara Tauson |
| Iva Jovic | v | Maria Sakkari |
| Diana Shnaider | v | Maya Joint |
| Qualifier | v | Qualifier |
| Jessica Pegula | v | Bye |
| Mirra Andreeva | v | Bye |
| Laura Siegemund | v | Daria Kasatkina |
| Qualifier | v | Cristina Bucsa |
| Jaqueline Cristian | v | Victoria Mboko |
| Liudmila Samsonova | v | Leylah Fernandez |
| Dayana Yastremska | v | Janice Tjen |
| Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova | v | Barbora Krejcikova |
| Amanda Anisimova | v | Bye |
Entry List Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2026
| # | Player | Ctry |
| 1 | Aryna Sabalenka | BLR |
| 2 | Iga Świątek | POL |
| 3 | Elena Rybakina | KAZ |
| 4 | Amanda Anisimova | USA |
| 5 | Coco Gauff | USA |
| 6 | Jessica Pegula | USA |
| 7 | Mirra Andreeva | RUS |
| 8 | Jasmine Paolini | ITA |
| 9 | Belinda Bencic | SUI |
| 10 | Elina Svitolina | UKR |
| 11 | Ekaterina Alexandrova | RUS |
| 12 | Linda Nosková | CZE |
| 13 | Victoria Mboko | CAN |
| 14 | Naomi Osaka | JPN |
| 15 | Madison Keys | USA |
| 16 | Clara Tauson | DEN |
| 17 | Emma Navarro | USA |
| 18 | Ludmilla Samsonova | RUS |
| 19 | Karolína Muchová | CZE |
| 20 | Iva Jovic | USA |
| 21 | Diana Shnaider | RUS |
| 22 | Elise Mertens | BEL |
| 23 | Marta Kostyuk | UKR |
| 24 | Jeļena Ostapenko | LAT |
| 25 | Leylah Fernandez | CAN |
| 26 | Qinwen Zheng | CHN |
| 27 | Sofia Kenin | USA |
| 28 | Maya Joint | AUS |
| 29 | Emma Raducanu | GBR |
| 30 | Anna Kalinskaya | RUS |
| 31 | Markéta Vondroušová | CZE |
| 32 | Mccartney Kessler | USA |
| 34 | Loïs Boisson | FRA |
| 35 | Jaqueline Cristian | ROU |
| 36 | Sorana Cîrstea | ROU |
| 38 | Veronika Kudermetova | RUS |
| 41 | Ann Li | USA |
| 42 | Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro | ESP |
| 43 | Dayana Yastremska | UKR |
| 52 | Barbora Krejčíková | CZE |
| 54 | Tatjana Maria | GER |
| 65 | Paula Badosa | ESP |
| 416 | Karolína Plíšková | CZE |
When is the schedule confirmed for Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships WTA?
The schedule will likely be confirmed on February 15 before the February 16 start. But the tournament will follow the following schedule.
Singles final: Saturday, Feb. 21, 4:30 p.m.
Doubles final: Saturday, Feb. 21, 7:00 p.m.
Time zone: Gulf Standard Time (GMT +4, EST +9)
Predictions
Samuel Gill, Head Editor for TennisUpToDate.com sees one of a few players emerging from the field.
I hate to pre-empt withdrawals but I don’t see Aryna Sabalenka playing in this and she will likely return at the Sunshine Double.
But if she does, she will be up there. But I see it being one of a few players. Amanda Anisimova, Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina all have quality in the Middle East and all are playing Doha so will be match sharp and I see them as top picks.
While Iva Jovic and Victoria Mboko as the two leading young guns to add to the party are very much a few to watch. Take Jovic’s Australian Open run away, she was reaching semi-finals and finals on tour prior and won Guadalajara last year so is very adept to winning big titles.
*** Iga Swiatek
** Amanda Anisimova, Elena Rybakina
* Aryna Sabalenka, Victoria Mboko, Iva Jovic
Lucas Michael, Editor for TennisUpToDate.com sees Aryna Sabalenka sealing the title.
The second WTA 1000 event of the year is already upon us with a plethora of talent ready to take centre stage.
No more prominent than the world number one Aryna Sabalenka, who will traverse to Dubai fit and replenished after Australian Open disappointment with a first title in this specific event. She is looking in pristine condition and will have that motivation to get back on track.
Elena Rybakina with her trophy after defeating Sabalenka to win the Australian Open
The top 10 will all be competing in the UAE, with the winner possibly coming from any of them. Elena Rybakina will be hotly tipped by many due to her incredible form in recent times. The Australian Open champion has not won a WTA 1000 title since 2023 and is looking to end this streak.
The likes of Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff will look to get back to their best form, and I believe that we will see a very positive Mirra Andreeva with a lot of ranking points on the line due to her winning this tournament last year.
However, I cannot look past the world number one from getting back to her best form and winning a first title in Dubai.
*** Aryna Sabalenka
** Elena Rybakina, Mirra Andreeva
* Iga Swiatek, Amanda Anisimova, Coco Gauff