Sabalenka and Swiatek both withdraw from the 2026 Dubai Championships

This will be a significant loss for the tournament with the absence of two of the top female tennis players in the world currently.

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships — the next WTA 1000 event of the season — faces a major setback as the world’s No. 1 and No. 2 players Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek have both announced their withdrawal.

The tournament in Dubai is scheduled from February 15 to 21, immediately following the Qatar Open in Doha. Given their current WTA rankings, Sabalenka and Swiatek would have been the top seeds, drawing significant attention from fans.

Sabalenka stated that she is not in optimal physical condition. "I deeply regret having to withdraw from Dubai. I share a special connection with the tournament and its fans, but right now I don’t feel 100% healthy.", the Belarusian player shared. Previously, Sabalenka also pulled out of the Qatar Open and has not competed since losing to Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open final.

Meanwhile, Swiatek cited scheduling changes as her reason. "I hope to return next year. See you all at Indian Wells.", the Polish player announced. She recently exited in the Qatar Open quarterfinals after an unexpected loss to Maria Sakkari.

The absence of these two top stars significantly alters the seeding landscape at this year’s Dubai Championships. Elena Rybakina — currently Asia’s No. 1 player — will be promoted to the top seed position.

Notably, both Sabalenka and Swiatek have recently spoken out about the pressure from the packed schedule and mandatory participation rules for WTA 1000 events. Sabalenka openly stated she is willing to accept penalties to protect her health, after competing last season while ill or exhausted. Swiatek agreed, emphasizing that improving her skills requires more preparation time, which the current schedule makes difficult.