Dubai Tennis Championships 2026: Women’s Singles and Doubles Finals Schedule
DUBAI, UAE – The stage is set for a monumental finale at the 2026 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships as seventh seed Elina Svitolina and fourth seed Jessica Pegula emerged victorious from two grueling, three-set marathons on Friday. The two stars will face off Saturday on Center Court for the prestigious WTA 1000 title and a winner’s prize of $665,000.
Svitolina Outlasts Gauff in Three-Hour Epic
In what many are calling the match of the tournament, Elina Svitolina secured her third career Dubai final appearance by edging out third seed Coco Gauff in a physical battle that lasted 3 hours and 3 minutes. Svitolina took the opening set 6-4, but Gauff responded with a Herculean effort in the second.
The second-set tiebreak became an instant classic, lasting 85 minutes alone. Svitolina saw four match points slip away as Gauff showed incredible defensive resilience, eventually clinching the tiebreak 15-13 to force a decider. Despite the heartbreak of the second set, Svitolina regrouped in the third, breaking Gauff in the final game to seal a 6-4, 6-7(13), 6-4 victory. This win marks Svitolina’s first WTA 1000 final since 2018, ending an eight-year drought at this level.
Pegula Stunned Early, Rallies Past Anisimova
Earlier on Friday, Jessica Pegula punched her ticket to the final with a resilient comeback against fellow American and second seed Amanda Anisimova. Anisimova, who had been in blistering form after upsetting defending champion Mirra Andreeva in the quarterfinals, appeared to be cruising early. She dominated the first set 6-1 and jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the second.
However, the world No. 5 refused to fold. Pegula made critical tactical adjustments, drawing Anisimova into longer rallies and exploiting her opponent’s second serve. Pegula took five of the next six games to claim the second set 6-4 and maintained her momentum to win the third 6-3. The victory improved Pegula’s perfect head-to-head record against Anisimova to 5-0 and secured her 10th final at the WTA 1000 level or higher.
Final Preview: Championship Saturday
The final, scheduled for Saturday, February 21, will be the headline event of the tournament’s closing day at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium.
- Order of Play: The action begins at 4:30 PM with the Women’s Doubles final, followed by the trophy presentation.
- Singles Final: The marquee match between [7] Elina Svitolina and [4] Jessica Pegula will take place not before 7:00 PM on Center Court.
- Stakes: In addition to the ranking points and the iconic silver coffee pot trophy, the champion will take home $665,000, while the runner-up receives $385,001.
Pegula holds a slight 5-3 advantage in their career head-to-head, but Svitolina’s experience in Dubai—where she is a two-time champion—makes this one of the most anticipated finals in the tournament’s history.
Doubles Final Set
Before the singles stars take the court, the doubles title will be decided at 4:30 PM. The veteran pairing of Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva will face off against the fifth seeds, Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani. Both teams have shown remarkable consistency throughout the week, setting the stage for a high-quality opening to Championship Saturday.
Time Zone Converter for Finals Day
The following table provides local start times for the championship matches across major global cities on Saturday, February 21, 2026.
| City | Women’s Doubles Final (4:30 PM GST) | Women’s Singles Final (Not before 7:00 PM GST) | Time Difference from Dubai |
| Dubai (Local) | 4:30 PM | 7:00 PM | — |
| Los Angeles | 4:30 AM | 7:00 AM | -12 Hours |
| Chicago | 6:30 AM | 9:00 AM | -10 Hours |
| New York | 7:30 AM | 10:00 AM | -9 Hours |
| London | 12:30 PM | 3:00 PM | -4 Hours |
| Paris | 1:30 PM | 4:00 PM | -3 Hours |
| Beijing | 8:30 PM | 11:00 PM | +4 Hours |