The 24th edition of the Dubai Tennis Championships had a list of champion players starring in the tournament. For the uninitiated, this is the tournament that concludes the Middle-Eastern swing and commences on the 18th of February.
Featuring nine of the top 10 players, the tournament has a lot of hype around it. Unfortunately, they faced a double blow with only 3 days for the tournament to begin its first round.
Returning 4-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka pulled out of the tournament, and following suit was defending champion Barbora Krejcikova.
The Japanese star had not gotten the comeback she would have liked. After two early setbacks, she finally got her lucky run at the Qatar Open.
With skill and a little bit of luck, the Japanese pro made it to the quarterfinals of the tournament. Yesterday, the 26-year-old was supposed to play a match against an in-form Lesia Tsurenko, who pulled out at the last moment, giving Osaka a clear way into the quarterfinals.
However, there is no information on the reason behind Osaka’s withdrawal, but the Japanese star will surely be missed in the star lineup that is playing in the tournament.
Defending champion Barbora Kerjcikova also withdraws from the Dubai Open, leaving a spot for the next player to replace her as champion
Last year, the Czech star was on a roll at the Dubai Tennis Championships as she won against the top 3 seeds back-to-back.
The 28-year-old played lights-out tennis in those three matches to win a well-deserved title. In the quarterfinals, she beat Aryna Sabalenka, followed by a win against Jessica Pegula in the semis. Finally, she beat Iga Swiatek in straight sets to clinch the title.
It was a well-deserved win for the Czech, who needed some huge wins. Unfortunately, she had to pull out of this year’s tournament due to a back injury.
Krejcikova also withdrew from the ongoing Qatar Open due to the injury and would not be available to defend her title.
With this, the other would be waiting in line to take home a title. In the running are top players like last year’s finalist, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, and more. It is the concluding tournament of the Middle East leg, and players usually appear for the tournament before they move countries.
In Case You Missed It:
- Maria Sakkari splits up with coach Tom Hill ahead of Indian Wells and Miami
- WATCH: “The crown-b*tch of women’s tennis”- Jelena Ostapenko brutally trolled after refusing to shake hands with Victoria Azarenka following upset in Doha
Was this article helpful?
Submit Cancel Thanks for your feedback!More must-reads: