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
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
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 Tennis News<\/p>\n Australian Open suffers big blow with United States Tennis Association \u2018set to make announcement next week\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n Prize money earned by Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Karolina Muchova in 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Qatar Open champion Karolina Muchova and beaten finalist Victoria Mboko also pulled out of the WTA 1000 tournament, with the turnaround between Doha and Dubai proving too quick for both women<\/a>.<\/p>\n Here, we look at every single player who has been forced out of action in Dubai.<\/p>\n Withdrew from entry list<\/p>\n 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 Aryna Sabalenka \u2013 world No 1 (as of February 16, 2026) 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 Lois Boisson \u2013 world No 35 Withdrew after draw<\/p>\n Five players withdrew after the draw was made, but before their opening matches at the event:<\/p>\n Elisabetta Cocciaretto \u2013 world No 40, came through qualifying Withdrew mid-tournament<\/p>\n As of Tuesday, February 17, three women have now pulled out of the event mid-tournament:<\/p>\n Barbora Krejcikova \u2013 world No 53, Round 2 walkover awarded to Amanda Anisimova Retired mid-tournament<\/p>\n As of Tuesday, February 17, four players had retired midway through matches at the event.<\/p>\n Jaqueline Cristian \u2013 world No 39, l. 6-0, 0-0 ret. vs Ella Seidel in Round 2 Want more from Tennis365? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for tennis coverage you can trust.<\/p>\n
\nIga Swiatek \u2013 world No 2
\nNaomi Osaka \u2013 world No 16
\nMadison Keys \u2013 world No 17<\/p>\n
\nMcCartney Kessler \u2013 world No 31
\nMarta Kostyuk \u2013 world No 26
\nVeronika Kudermetova \u2013 world No 49
\nEva Lys \u2013 world No 59
\nKarolina Pliskova \u2013 world No 267 (PR)
\nMarketa Vondrousova \u2013\u00a0 world No 37<\/p>\n
\nVictoria Mboko \u2013 world No 10
\nKarolina Muchova \u2013 world No 11
\nMaria Sakkari \u2013 world No 34
\nZheng Qinwen \u2013 world No 24<\/p>\n
\nDaria Kasatkina \u2013 world No 61, Round 2 walkover awarded to Mirra Andreeva
\nSara Bejlek \u2013 world No 41, Round 2 walkover awarded to Belinda Bencic<\/p>\n
\nHailey Baptiste \u2013 world No 45, l. 6-4, 0-1 ret. vs Alex Eala in Round 1
\nPaula Badosa \u2013 world No 70, l. 6-4, 0-0 ret. vs Elina Svitolina in Round
\nTereza Valentova \u2013 world No 43, l. 0-6, 6-3, 5-0 vs Kimberly Birrell in Qualifying Round 1<\/p>\n