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Dubai Championships draw: Pegula, Zheng, and Rybina could collide with Bencic in the quarterfinals
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Dubai is hosting a stellar lineup, with eight of the world’s top ten in the PIF WTA Rankings converging for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, the second 1000-level event of the WTA Tour driven by Mercedes-Benz.
Among the top entrants is defending champion Mirra Andreeva, who at a mere 17 years old became the youngest player to win a WTA 1000 title since the format began in 2009. With world number one Aryna Sabalenka and number two Iga Swiatek withdrawing from the tournament, Elena Rybakina, who captured the Australian Open, sits as the top seed, followed by Amanda Anisimova and Coco Gauff.
The article below breaks down each quarter of the draw, highlights notable first-round matches, and considers potential quarterfinal clashes. For the complete brackets, you can view the full draws here. Printable PDFs for singles and doubles are also available.
First quarter
Leading this section is top seed Rybakina, who has a bye into the second round along with Elina Svitolina. Also in this quadrant are Belinda Bencic, Emma Raducanu, and Karolina Muchova, who is scheduled to play in the Doha final on Saturday night.
First-round match to watch
Zeynep Sonmez vs. Sara Bejlek: Bejlek has surged into the spotlight after qualifying for Abu Dhabi and advancing to the main draw, defeating Clara Tauson, Ekaterina Alexandrova, and Jelena Ostapenko along the way. It will be intriguing to see if she can sustain that form against Sonmez, who is eager to announce herself with a big win after her 2024 Merida title.
Potential quarterfinal showdown
Elena Rybakina vs. Belinda Bencic: It’s notable that these two veteran players have only met three times on the tour, with their most recent encounter coming during Bencic’s 2025 Abu Dhabi campaign; their other two meetings date back to 2021. After a strong start at the United Cup, Bencic had an early exit at the Australian Open due to illness and later withdrew from Abu Dhabi and Doha. A matchup with Rybakina, currently among the tour’s elite, would be an exciting test of Bencic’s form.
Second quarter
Dubai champions Jasmine Paolini (2024) and Jelena Ostapenko (2022) reside in this quarter, led by world No. 4 Coco Gauff as the highest seed. Also seeded are Linda Noskova and Emma Navarro , both joining Dubai after Doha second-round exits. Cluj-Napoca champion Sorana Cirstea and fan favorite Alexandra Eala could meet in the Round of 16 if they win their first two matches.
First-round match to watch
Jelena Ostapenko vs. Anna Kalinskaya: Ostapenko is seeking her first win over Kalinskaya in four attempts, and they haven’t faced each other since Miami 2024. Both players come off solid Doha runs, with Ostapenko advancing to the singles semifinals and reaching the doubles final on Saturday. Kalinskaya fell in the quarterfinals to Karolina Muchova, but that result stands as her best of the season so far. Other notable first-round ties include Marie Bouzkova vs. Elise Mertens and Linda Noskova vs. Ann Li, among several strong kickoffs in this section.
Potential quarterfinal showdown
Coco Gauff vs. Alexandra Eala: Gauff looks to rebound after a string of mixed results, including a quarterfinal exit to Elena Svitolina at the Australian Open and a Doha second-round loss to Elisabetta Cocciaretto. Her path will depend on who emerges from the second round between Ostapenko and Kalinskaya, and whether Navarro or Mertens can reach the quarters. Eala’s presence always draws a massive crowd, given her rising profile and recent challenges faced by Paolini.
Third quarter
This portion houses several heavy hitters, including Jessica Pegula, Iva Jovic, Maria Sakkari, Zheng Qinwen, and Ekaterina Alexandrova. Pegula travels to Dubai after opting out of Doha following a deep Australian Open run in the semifinals. 2025 finalist Tauson is also in this section and will open against Sofia Kenin.
First-round match to watch
Iva Jovic vs. Maria Sakkari: This match has the feel of a quarterfinal in itself, given Jovic’s Australian Open quarterfinal run and Sakkari’s Doha semifinal, though they meet for the first time in singles. Sakkari is finding momentum, having defeated Iga Swiatek in Doha, but her Dubai opener against Jovic will be a significant early test. Jovic, 18, has already broken into the top 20 after Melbourne.
Potential quarterfinal showdown
Jessica Pegula vs. Zheng Qinwen: Zheng, who faced an elbow injury earlier in the season, showed impressive form in Doha—with 20 aces against Sofia Kenin, a tough three-set win over Alycia Parks, and a close match with Australian Open winner Rybakina. Pegula holds a 1-0 advantage from Eastbourne 2023, and is in excellent shape after her Melbourne performance.
Fourth quarter
Reigning champion Andreeva is anchored in the final quarter and will wait for the winner of Laura Siegemund vs. Daria Kasatkina in the second round. She sits as the second-highest seed in this quarter behind Amanda Anisimova, who returns after withdrawing from Doha due to illness.
Other notable names include 2023 champion Barbora Krejcikova, rising talent Janice Tjen, and Victoria Mboko, who is pursuing a second WTA 1000 final in Qatar on Saturday.
First-round match to watch
Liudmila Samsonova vs. Leylah Fernandez: Beyond this pairing, the rest of the opening round features solid clashes like Mboko vs. Jacqueline Cristian, Dayana Yastremska vs. Tjen (wild card), and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova vs. Krejcikova. The Samsonova-Fernandez matchup marks their fourth meeting on tour, both coming off Doha first-round exits.
Potential quarterfinal showdown
Amanda Anisimova vs. Victoria Mboko : Depending on Mboko’s Doha result and her momentum heading into Dubai, a high-stakes clash with Anisimova could loom in the quarterfinals. If Mboko continues rising into the top 10 by Monday’s rankings, this could become a landmark meeting early in their rivalry.
To view the complete Dubai Draws and schedules, visit the official tournament pages linked above.
