WTA Tour: Sabalenka Seeks Revenge Against Alexandrova in Dubai
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Synopsis
In Dubai, after the Qatar Open's shocking results, top players like Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek are ready to compete in the Dubai Tennis Championships. The draw reveals intriguing matchups, including a potential rematch between Sabalenka and Ekaterina Alexandrova, who previously defeated her in Doha.
Key Takeaways
- Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek lead the draw in Dubai.
- Sabalenka may face Ekaterina Alexandrova again.
- Belinda Bencic returns to the tournament after becoming a mother.
- Jessica Pegula and Anna Kalinskaya are also key competitors.
- Matches start on Sunday with high stakes for top seeds.
Dubai, Feb 15 (NationPress) Following an unpredictable week at the Qatar Open, where only two of the Top-8 seeds advanced past the quarterfinals, the elite players are eager to regain their footing this week at the Dubai Tennis Championships, with the draw revealed on Saturday.
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, ranked No. 2, lead the draw, joined by Coco Gauff at No. 3 and defending champion Jasmine Paolini at No. 4. The top eight seeds receive first-round byes and will kick off their campaigns in the second round.
The draw has set up some exciting matchups, including potential rematches from Doha — Sabalenka may face Ekaterina Alexandrova once more, while Zheng Qinwen seeks retribution against Ons Jabeur if they meet in Round 2.
Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, and Jelena Ostapenko find themselves in the same half of the draw for consecutive weeks. In Doha, Swiatek defeated Rybakina in the quarterfinals before facing Ostapenko in the semifinals.
Former Dubai champion Belinda Bencic returns to the tournament for the first time since becoming a mother. She could encounter No. 8 seed Emma Navarro in the second round. Dubai marks the second WTA 1000 event on the WTA Tour, with main draw matches commencing on Sunday.
In the draw's first quarter, top-seeded Sabalenka and Alexandrova might clash in the second round for the second consecutive week. An in-form Alexandrova previously defeated Sabalenka in Doha, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(5), advancing to her third WTA 1000 semifinal. This victory evened Alexandrova's record against Sabalenka to 4-4.
Alexandrova will begin against Veronika Kudermetova in the first round, with the winner set to face Sabalenka.
Alongside Sabalenka, No. 5 Jessica Pegula anchors the top quarter. In Doha, Pegula was among the three seeds to reach the quarterfinals, alongside Swiatek and Rybakina. She, like Sabalenka, was eventually eliminated by Alexandrova. This week, Pegula will compete against either Liudmila Samsonova or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in her opener.
Last year's surprising runner-up, Anna Kalinskaya, is also in the top quarter and faces Elina Svitolina in the first round. The winner will challenge either Clara Tauson or Rebecca Sramkova.
In the second quarter, No. 3 Coco Gauff and No. 8 Emma Navarro lead this section of the draw, both eager to bounce back from their early Doha exits. They could face challenging opening matches.
Last week, Gauff lost in straight sets to Marta Kostyuk during the second round and might face Doha finalist Amanda Anisimova this week. This would mark the first encounter between the two young Americans since Anisimova shocked Gauff at the 2022 Wimbledon. Former Dubai champion Bencic is well-rested after a week off and could meet Navarro in the second round. A champion in Dubai in 2019, Bencic must first navigate past Aoi Ito in the first round.
World No. 4 and defending champion Jasmine Paolini heads the third quarter of the draw alongside No. 6 seed Elena Rybakina. Paolini will start her title defense against a qualifier, while Rybakina may face an on-fire Jelena Ostapenko. Unseeded this week, Ostapenko will open against a qualifier, with the winner set to face Rybakina. The Latvian had a remarkable week in Doha, achieving two Top 5 victories over Paolini and Swiatek.
