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The WTA Tour will make its second stop in the Middle East for the Dubai Tennis Championships, set to be played at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre from February 18-24.
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek and reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka will lead at the field at this year’s tournament in the absence of the defending champion Barbora Krejcikova.
Eight of the top 10 ranked players — including Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina — as well as former champions Jelena Ostapenko and Elina Svitolina also crowd the draw. With main draw action set to commence Monday, here’s a look at the prospects of the top names in the fray.
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Top Half: Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Zheng Qinwen look to build on strong starts to 2024
Top seeds: [1] Iga Swiatek, [3] Coco Gauff, [5] Ons Jabeur, [6] Zheng Qinwen
Dark horse: Karolina Pliskova
Top seed Iga Swiatek has already gotten her Middle Eastern swing off to a fine start, with the Pole scheduled to play the Qatar Open final.
Given that she is likely to carry that winning form into neighbouring Dubai, her early opponents have good reason to worry. Sloane Stephens, who opens against a qualifier, can test Swiatek in the second round.
Elina Svitolina, who ousted the World No. 1 at Wimbledon last year, will be another player to watch out for. A two-time former winner, the Ukrainian could well pose a stiff challenge for the Pole.
Swiatek’s projected quarterfinal opponent, Australian Open finalist Zheng Qinwen, only adds to the competitiveness of the section.
The Chinese — No. 4 on this year's ace leaderboard — has a big serve that can prove to be an effective weapon in the conditions. She, however, will first need to be wary of another Pole early in the form of the feisty Magda Linette, who pushed her to three sets in Doha recently.
The second quarter will see Coco Gauff and Ons Jabeur looking to recover from recent early exits. The American, who was shown the door by Katerina Siniakova in Doha, will open against one of two veterans — Elise Mertens or Lesia Tsurenko.
If she were to overcome the hurdle, the road to the last-eight begins to look relatively safer. One, however, needs to weigh in Karolina Pliskova' recent exploits. The Czech, who gave Swiatek a walkover in Qatar, is on nine-match winning streak and knows a thing or two about winning big on hardcourts.
Jabeur, however, has not been awarded the same luxury in the draw. After opening against a qualifier, she could run into a returning Paula Badosa before facing the mercurial Jelena Ostapenko.
With two titles and a solid-looking 14-3 win-loss record for the season, Ostapenko might be one to watch in the section. Even more so given her love for Dubai, where she is a former champion.
Prediction: Jelena Ostapenko def. Zheng Qinwen
Bottom Half: Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina on collission course yet again
Top seeds: [2] Aryna Sabalenka, [4] Elena Rybakina, [7] Marketa Vondrousova [8] Maria Sakkari
Dark horse: Mirra Andreeva
Aryna Sabalenka faces a tough first match since winning the Australian Open as she will take on either the flat-hitting Donna Vekic or the up-and-coming Wang Xinyu in her opener.
More big hitters in the form of Australian Open semifinalist Dayana Yastermska and Veronika Kudermetova crowd the section. The two-time Grand Slam champion will, however, be more worried about the likes of Sorana Cirstea and Sofia Kenin — who scripted two of the most surprising upset losses against her last year.
Sablaenka’s projected quarterfinal opponent, Wimbledon champ Marketa Vondrousova, faces an equally precarious draw. The Czech will need to outmuscle a barrage of Russian talent in the form of Mirra Andreeva, Liudmila Samsonova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Like Swiatek, Elena Rybakina has also found her footing in the Middle East and could well come to Dubai as the Qatar Open champion. She will need all that form given a likely first-round contest against former World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka.
Another big-hitting name in the form of Ekaterina Alexandrova awaits in the third round.
As for the other big seed in the draw, Maria Sakkari, the writing is pretty much on the wall. The Greek, who recently split with longtime coach Tom Hill has only won four matches this year against three losses.
Sakkari will need to turn a new leaf and do it quick, because a resurgent Leylah Fernandez and the ever-tricky Beatriz Haddad Maia could will take some beating.
Prediction: Aryna Sabalenka def. Beatriz Haddad Maia
Prediction for final
Aryna Sabalenka def. Jelena Ostapneko
