World’s best to shine in Dubai as WTA event marks 25th edition

The world’s top 10 women's players will take centre stage at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships this month, as the WTA event celebrates its 25th anniversary.

Since its inception in 2001, the women's tournament has proved a regular showcase of world-class tennis, with legends such as Monica Seles, Serena Williams and Justine Henin gracing the event over the years.

Elevated to permanent WTA 1000 status last season, this year's edition, which runs from February 16-22, is headlined by world no. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who returns to Dubai for the ninth time in her career.

The three-time Grand Slam champion reclaimed her no. 1 ranking at the end of last year, overtaking Iga Swiatek, who will also be returning to the Championships.

The Pole made it to the semi-finals in Dubai last season, where she was upset in straight sets by qualifier Anna Kalinskya, ranked outside the top 50 at the time.

Swiatek and Sabalenka, will both be aiming to capture their first Dubai title.

This year will also see the return of American Madison Keys, who won her first Grand Slam at the Australian Open, defeating Swiatek in the semi-final before springing a surprise against Sabalenka in the final.

The victory saw Keys return to the top 10 for the first time since 2020 and she will arrive in Dubai looking to build on the quarter-final appearance she managed in 2023 when she lost to compatriot Coco Gauff.

Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion, and world no. 3, is set to return to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships for a fourth time. Her US compatriots Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro will also feature at the WTA 1000 event.

Defending champion Jasmine Paolini will begin her title defence looking to build upon her best season to date.

The Italian had a breakout year in 2024, securing a first WTA 1000 title, finishing runner up at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and winning a gold medal in doubles at the Paris Olympics.

The 29-year-old, who is currently world no. 4, will need to emulate her Dubai campaign of last season to secure back-to-back titles for the first time in her career.

Just behind Paolini in the rankings is the 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, who returns to Dubai for a fifth time, seeking to go one step further than in 2020 when she reached the final but lost to Simona Halep.

Off the back of a remarkable 2024, world no. 8 Qinwen Zheng will also be making her way back to the emirate this month. The 22-year-old made history at the Paris Olympics last summer by securing China’s first gold medal in tennis singles, defeating Croatian Donna Vekic in straight sets.

Rounding off the top 10 seeds at this year’s event is Paula Badosa, who marks her fourth appearance at the event. The world no. 10 has never progressed past the first round in Dubai, so will be keen to rewrite her story in the sunshine here.

"This is a landmark tournament for WTA week as we celebrate the 25th anniversary, which precedes the 33rd ATP week, so it is great to have so many of the world’s top 40 confirmed to participate," said Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free and Chairman of the tournament’s organising committee.

Tournament Director Salah Tahlak, who also serves as Deputy Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, added: "The WTA event’s significance on the global tennis calendar continues to grow, underlined by the tournament being awarded permanent WTA 1000 status in 2024. It is fitting that we have so many of the world’s top female players competing in this year’s landmark 25th edition."