The WTA 1000 event in the UAE was already under scrutiny after Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek withdrew before it began. A wave of exits followed, with several players pulling out even before stepping on the court. Now, fresh withdrawals during play have deepened the disruption at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

The No. 5 seed Mirra Andreeva advanced after Daria Kasatkina withdrew. Kasatkina pulled out due to a right hip injury. Andreeva will now face Jaqueline Cristian in the last 16.

Belinda Bencic also benefited from a late change. The 2019 champion and No. 9 seed was scheduled to meet wild card Sara Bejlek. It would have been their first meeting.

However, Bejlek was forced to withdraw with an abdominal injury. The 20-year-old had recently won her first WTA title in Abu Dhabi as a qualifier. That victory pushed her into the Top 50.

Bencic will now face a tough opponent in the next round. She is set to meet either No. 7 seed Elina Svitolina or Paula Badosa. The draw continues to shift with each withdrawal.

Earlier, Amanda Anisimova also received a walkover. She moved into the round of 16 after Barbora Krejcikova withdrew. The Czech star pulled out with an issue in her left thigh.

Anisimova will face Janice Tjen next. She reached this stage without hitting a single ball in her previous match. The situation reflects the unusual flow of the tournament.

Withdrawals have been the main storyline so far. Canadian youngster Victoria Mboko also joined the list. She was scheduled to play Jaqueline Cristian in the first round.

Mboko withdrew just before her match. She had recently finished runner-up at the Qatar Open in Doha. Petra Marcinko entered the draw as the seventh lucky loser.

The wave of exits began even before the event started. Top seed Aryna Sabalenka confirmed her decision with a message: “I’m really sorry, I have to withdraw from Dubai. I have such a special connection with the tournament, the fans, and the city. Unfortunately, I am not feeling 100%. But I hope to be back next year and wish the tournament a great event.”

Iga Swiatek also withdrew from the tournament. The world No. 2 cited scheduling adjustments for her decision. Their absence set the tone for the week.

Tournament director Salah Tahlak expressed frustration with their late withdrawals. He suggested stricter rules and said, “They should be docked ranking points.” 

Coco Gauff later disagreed with the idea.

“Do I think players should be docked points? Not really. We already have the mandatory. We get zeros on our ranking for everything,” she said. “For this point in the schedule, it’s hard to play all the tournaments now that they’re two weeks. The ask of players are becoming more and more and more.”

As the event continues, the withdrawal list keeps growing. Injuries, workload, and scheduling pressure are taking a toll. The Dubai Open now moves forward with several big names already out.

Alex Eala shares a heartfelt message after Hailey Baptiste’s retirement in Dubai

On Sunday, Alexandra Eala moved into the second round of the Dubai Open. Her opponent, Hailey Baptiste, retired during their match. Eala was leading 6-4, 0-1 at the time.

Baptiste was forced to stop due to an abdominal injury. She walked to Eala near the umpire’s chair before the decision. She explained, ‘My ab is messed up,’ and Eala replied, ‘I’m so sorry.’

The match had been competitive before the retirement. Fans on Centre Court were watching an engaging contest. The sudden ending brought disappointment to both players.

Eala, currently ranked world No. 43, advanced to the next round. She is set to face Jasmine Paolini today. The young Filipina handled the moment with empathy.

Speaking after the match, Eala shared her thoughts.

“Obviously, no one likes advancing in this way, and being on Tour, I’m starting to discover, really at this level, how difficult it is to maintain your health physically. So I really hope that Hailey is okay and will bounce back soon.”

Injuries have been a major theme at the tournament. Emma Raducanu’s opponent, Elisabetta Cocciaretto, withdrew hours before their match. She cited a thigh injury.

Several top names had already pulled out earlier. Naomi Osaka and Madison Keys were among the early withdrawals. Their absence affected the strength of the draw.

More players joined the list in recent days. Eva Lys, Loïs Boisson, and Veronika Kudermetova all withdrew. Marketa Vondrousova also pulled out.

American player McCartney Kessler was another withdrawal. The world No. 32 has been dealing with a back injury. Her schedule during the Middle East swing was disrupted.

Wang Xinyu also exited the event. Jessica Pegula chose to withdraw from the Middle East swing as well. The number of absences continues to grow.

With so many players out, concerns are rising. Questions remain about the tournament’s impact on publicity and competition. 

It also raises a bigger issue: does the WTA schedule need adjustment as players struggle with the physical demands?