World’s top 20 confirmed for Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in February

Dubai: The world’s top 20 women’s players have been officially confirmed for the 2026 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, set to take place from February 15—21.

The stellar line-up features the full complement of the WTA’s highest-ranked stars, led by World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, World No 2 Iga Swiatek, World No 3 Coco Gauff and World No 4 Amanda Anisimova. They are joined by Elena Rybakina (No 5), Jessica Pegula (No 6), Jasmine Paolini (No 7), defending champion Mirra Andreeva (No 8), Madison Keys (No 9) and Belinda Bencic (No 10), completing a formidable top-10 entry list.

Heading the field is Sabalenka, who returns to Dubai following a sensational 2025 season highlighted by her US Open victory, where the Belarusian captured her fourth career Grand Slam title and secured a second consecutive triumph in New York. She has carried that momentum into 2026, beginning the season in commanding fashion by successfully defending her Brisbane International crown without dropping a set.

Six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek also makes her return after another outstanding year, during which she lifted the 2025 Wimbledon title, reached several WTA 1000 finals and finished the season with one of the highest win percentages on tour.

Gauff arrives in Dubai after a defining 2025 campaign of her own. The 21-year-old American claimed her second Grand Slam title — and first on clay — at the French Open, added a WTA 1000 title in Cincinnati, and reached the semi-finals of both the Australian Open and US Open, ending the year inside the world’s top three for the first time.

Defending champion Andreeva enjoyed a breakthrough 2025 season, highlighted by her historic triumph in Dubai that made her the youngest WTA 1000 champion in history. The 18-year-old Russian went on to reach two Grand Slam quarter-finals and surged into the world’s top 15. She returns to Dubai aiming to defend the title that propelled her onto the global stage.

“We are delighted to welcome all of the top 20 women’s players once again,” said Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free and Chairman of the Organising Committee. “The depth of talent committed for 2026 underlines the status of this event on the global tennis calendar. Dubai has become an essential stop for the world’s best players, and we look forward to another exceptional week of world-class tennis.”

Breakthrough performances

The line-up also features World No12 and two-time Dubai champion Elina Svitolina, along with Canada’s World No17 Victoria Mboko, whose breakthrough performances have propelled her into the top 20 for the first time. Their inclusion adds further depth to a field that reinforces Dubai’s reputation as one of the most competitive tournaments on the WTA Tour.

Commenting on the announcement, Tournament Director and Dubai Duty Free Deputy Managing Director Salah Tahlak said: “Women’s tennis continues to raise the bar for competitiveness and quality. With the top 20 players confirmed, fans can expect high-quality, compelling matches from the very first day. Each year our WTA event delivers unforgettable moments, and 2026 will be no exception.”

The 2026 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships will once again be staged back-to-back, with the WTA 1000 tournament running from February 15-21, followed by the ATP 500 men’s event from February 23-28. Tickets start from Dh65 and are available at dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com and ticketmaster.ae.