WTA 1000 Dubai Tennis Championships 2026 Entry List
DUBAI, UAE โ The elite stars of the WTA Tour have descended upon the 2026 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, turning the city into the global capital of women’s tennis for the next seven days. Despite a series of high-profile withdrawals from the world’s top two players, the 26th edition of this WTA 1000 event features a remarkably deep field, with 16 of the worldโs top 20 players ready to battle for a share of the $4,088,211 prize pool.
With main draw action officially underway at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre, the tournament faces a new landscape as top-seeded Elena Rybakina looks to capitalize on a draw missing some of her fiercest rivals.
The Field: Seeds and Stars
The withdrawal of Aryna Sabalenka and Iga ลwiฤ tek due to fatigue and scheduling changes has shifted the spotlight onto Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina, who enters as the tournament’s top seed. She is joined at the top of the draw by World No. 4 Amanda Anisimova, who is seeking to replicate her recent Middle Eastern success.
Singles Seeded Players
| Seed | Player | Rank | Seed | Player | Rank |
| 1 | Elena Rybakina | 3 | 9 | Belinda Bencic | 11 |
| 2 | Amanda Anisimova | 4 | 10 | Linda Noskovรก | 12 |
| 3 | Coco Gauff | 5 | 11 | Victoria Mboko | 13 |
| 4 | Jessica Pegula | 6 | 12 | Clara Tauson | 14 |
| 5 | Mirra Andreeva | 7 | 13 | Liudmila Samsonova | 17 |
| 6 | Jasmine Paolini | 8 | 14 | Emma Navarro | 18 |
| 7 | Elina Svitolina | 9 | 15 | Karolina Muchova | 19 |
| 8 | Ekaterina Alexandrova | 10 | 16 | Iva Jovic | 20 |
Defending champion Mirra Andreeva returns as the No. 5 seed. Last year, the then-17-year-old made history as the youngest WTA 1000 winner; this year, she faces the challenge of defending 1,000 ranking points against a field that includes veteran champions like Elina Svitolina and Jasmine Paolini.
Withdrawals and Lucky Losers
The tournament entry list saw significant movement in the 48 hours leading up to the draw. Along with the top two seeds, several other players were forced to pull out. Karolina Muchova withdrew due to lingering fatigue following her Doha run, while Maria Sakkari and Zheng Qinwen both cited illness.
These vacancies have opened the door for several “Lucky Losers” and alternates to make their mark on the big stage:
- Anastasia Zakharova
- Hailey Baptiste
- Peyton Stearns
- Magdalena Frฤch
- Kamilla Rakhimova
Doubles: A Battle of Titans
The doubles draw is equally competitive, led by the Italian powerhouse duo of Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini. They face stiff competition from specialized teams and singles stars pairing up, including the high-profile duo of Elise Mertens and Shuai Zhang.
Top 8 Seeded Teams
- Errani / Paolini (Combined Rank: 6)
- Mertens / Zhang (Combined Rank: 8)
- Hsieh / Ostapenko (Combined Rank: 23)
- Danilina / Krunic (Combined Rank: 23)
- Dabrowski / Stefani (Combined Rank: 23)
- Muhammad / Routliffe (Combined Rank: 26)
- Hunter / Siniakova (Combined Rank: 30)
- Bucsa / Melichar-Martinez (Combined Rank: 39)
Prize Money and Ranking Points
The stakes in Dubai are among the highest on the tour. The singles winner will leave the Emirates with a staggering $665,000 and 1,000 vital ranking points.
Singles Distribution:
- Winner: $665,000 (1000 pts)
- Finalist: $385,001 (650 pts)
- Semifinals: $197,000 (390 pts)
- Quarterfinals: $98,500 (215 pts)
- Round of 16: $49,250 (120 pts)
- Round of 32: $26,000 (65 pts)
- Round of 64: $18,300 (10 pts)
Doubles Distribution (per team):
- Winner: $195,000 (1000 pts)
- Finalist: $110,010 (650 pts)
- Semifinals: $59,000 (390 pts)
- Quarterfinals: $30,400 (215 pts)
As the first rounds get underway, the narrative in Dubai is clear: with the dominant “Big Two” absent, the field is wide open for a new champion to emerge or for a legend like Rybakina to solidify her claim to the World No. 1 throne.