World No1 Aryna Sabalenka (right) and No2 Iga Swiatek. ARCHIVE

Tennis fans in the UAE will not be seeing two of the sport’s biggest stars in action this year after World No1 Aryna Sabalenka and World No2 Iga Swiatek withdrew from the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, announced that she would not be competing in Dubai, citing health concerns. The Belarusian recently reached her fourth Australian Open final and has played at Dubai’s WTA 1000 tournament for nine consecutive years. “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 per cent. But I hope to be back next year and wish the tournament a great event,” Sabalenka said. Her withdrawal marks a notable absence from a tournament where she has built a strong following among UAE fans. Swiatek, who is currently ranked No2 in the world and reached the Dubai final in 2023, also confirmed she would not be taking part this year. The Polish star cited a change in her playing schedule. “I am sorry to announce that I will not be playing Dubai this year due to a change of schedule. I hope I will come back next year to experience the great tournament. See you guys in Indian Wells,” Swiatek said. Tournament organisers expressed disappointment at losing two of the top-ranked players but extended their support. “We are sorry that Aryna and Iga have both withdrawn from this year’s tournament. They both have huge amounts of followers here in Dubai, and we were looking forward to seeing them competing on our courts once again. We wish them continued success for the season and look forward to seeing them back in Dubai next year,” the official statement read on Friday (February 13). For ticket holders hoping to see the two stars, organisers have indicated that the tournament will continue as scheduled, with a competitive field still set to battle it out on the courts in Dubai.
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