Rybakina, Gauff, Raducanu learn fate as draw confirmed for Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2026
Filipina talents feature on Centre Court opening day
DUBAI – The pathway to the 2026 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title is now set after the official draw for the WTA 1000 event was conducted in Dubai on Friday.
The 26th edition of the tournament, staged at the renovated Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, runs from February 15 to 21 and features 16 of the world’s top 20 players, underlining its status as one of the most competitive stops on the WTA calendar.
Six Grand Slam singles champions, sharing a combined nine major titles, headline a field that includes reigning Australian Open winner Elena Rybakina, World No5 Coco Gauff, and defending Dubai champion Mirra Andreeva, who made history here last year.
WTA 1000 line-up
As one of the top eight seeds, World No3 Rybakina receives a first-round bye and is projected to open her campaign against Germany’s Tatjana Maria in the second round. The Kazakh star, who triumphed in Melbourne only weeks ago, finds herself in a challenging half that also includes Gauff, World No. 9 Elina Svitolina, 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, and British No. 1 Emma Raducanu.
Rising Filipina talent Alexandra Eala is also positioned in the same half. She faces American lucky loser Hailey Baptiste in the opening round, with the winner advancing to meet 2024 Dubai champion Jasmine Paolini in the second round.
On the opposite side, second seed Amanda Anisimova could encounter 2023 Dubai winner and two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova in the Round of 32, provided Krejcikova overcomes Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in her opener.
Focus on Centre Court
Eala will begin her campaign on Centre Court at 7pm on Sunday and is expected to draw strong support from Dubai’s sizeable Filipino community. The 18-year-old attended the draw ceremony and spoke about the significance of competing in front of overseas supporters, noting the connection felt when travelling extensively throughout the season.
The Centre Court schedule also features Canada’s Leylah Fernandez, who is of Filipino descent. She takes on No. 13 seed Liudmila Samsonova earlier in the day, ensuring prominent representation for Filipino fans across two marquee matches.
Elsewhere in the draw, World No. 6 Jessica Pegula joins Andreeva in the bottom half, strengthening an already competitive section. Greek player Maria Sakkari, fresh from a semi-final appearance in Doha, opens her campaign against No. 16 seed Iva Jovic. The 18-year-old Jovic is making her Middle East debut and has already taken the opportunity to explore the emirate, including visiting the iconic Burj Khalifa.
Stadium upgrades
The official draw ceremony was led by WTA Supervisor Clare Wood, alongside senior representatives from Dubai Duty Free and tournament officials. The event also showcased the tournament’s silver coffee pot trophy, a long-standing symbol of the Championships.
Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free and Chair of the Tournament Organising Committee, confirmed significant infrastructure upgrades at the venue. A new 2,000-seat Court One has been introduced as part of phase one of the site’s redevelopment, along with an expanded Tennis Village aimed at enhancing the spectator experience.
Further expansion is already planned. Following this year’s tournament, work will begin on increasing Centre Court capacity by 2,500 seats, bringing it to a total of 7,500. The phased development reflects the event’s continued growth and its ability to attract elite fields year after year.
Wildcards named
Four wildcards were announced during the ceremony. Turkish prospect Zeynep Sonmez joins Czech player Sara Bejlek, New Zealand’s Lulu Sun, and Indonesia’s Janice Tjen in the main draw.
In an intriguing twist, Sonmez and Bejlek will meet in the opening round, with their match scheduled on Centre Court immediately after Eala’s evening contest. The encounter guarantees at least one wildcard entrant will progress to the second round.
The 2026 edition features 33 of the world’s top 40 players, reinforcing the depth of the competition. Owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free, the Championships are held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Following the conclusion of the women’s event, the emirate will stage its annual ATP 500 men’s tournament from February 23 to 28, extending the two-week celebration of professional tennis.
Tickets for the 2026 Championships are available online, with prices starting from Dh65.