Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Sviatek withdraw from Dubai 1000 event

The two highest-ranked WTA players have withdrawn from the upcoming Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. World number 1 Arina Sabalenka and no. 2 Iga Sviatek confirmed on Friday that they will not participate in the WTA Masters 1000 event, which is scheduled for February 15-21, 2026, with a total prize pool of $4,088,211. The 26th edition of the event was set to feature 16 of the top 20 players and 33 of the top 40 in the rankings.

Under WTA regulations, the top players are required to participate in four Grand Slam tournaments, 10 WTA 1000 tournaments and six WTA 500 tournaments, with ranking points and financial penalties for non-compliance. Both Sabalenka and Sviatek have previously criticized the calendar’s demands and accepted potential penalties for workload management.

Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam champion who reached her fourth Australian Open final on Jan. 31 before losing to Elena Rybakina, cited unwellness as the reason for the withdrawal in a statement sent through tournament organizers.

“I’m really sorry to have to retire from Dubai. I have such a special connection with the tournament, the fans and the city. Unfortunately, I’m not feeling 100%. But I hope to be back next year and wish the tournament a great event.”

The Belarusian has already skipped the Qatar Open, the first WTA 1000 event in the Middle East, meaning she will miss both Doha and Dubai this season. After sharing training footage from the pitch in Dubai, she bowed out at the eleventh hour. After competing in Dubai for nine consecutive years, Sabalenka never progressed beyond the quarter-final stage of the tournament. She currently leads the rankings with 10,990 points and holds an 11-1 singles record with one title. For now, it is not known when she will return to the field.

Meanwhile, Sviatek attributed its decision to scheduling adjustments.

“I regret to announce that I will not be playing with Dubai this year due to a schedule change,” the six-time Grand Slam winner said in a statement. “I hope to be back next year to experience a great tournament. See you in Indian Wells.”

Sviatek competed in Doha, but lost in the quarterfinals to Maria Sakkari. The Pole owns a 7–3 record this season without a title. In Dubai, her best result remains second place in 2023, where she lost the final to Barbora Krejcikova. Sviatek’s second place is in jeopardy, with Rybaka just 280 points behind. A better result than last year’s semi-final in Dubai would be enough for Rybakina to take second place for the first time.

The BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells will be Sviatek’s next tournament. The open hard court tournament is part of the ATP and WTA Masters 1000 Series and runs from March 4-15, 2026.