During the second stage of the Dubai Tennis Championships, health concerns once more impacted the competition, leading to four competitors, notably the fifth-ranked Mirra Andreeva, progressing due to other players withdrawing.
Andreeva advanced as her competitor Daria Kasatkina withdrew ahead of their scheduled contest, and similarly, the ninth-seeded Belinda Bencic received an automatic progression when Sara Bejlek also pulled out before her match.
Paula Badosa ceased playing subsequent to falling behind 6-4 in the initial set to the sixth-ranked Elina Svitolina, and Ella Seidel also exited the tournament after losing the opening set 6-0 to Jaqueline Cristian.
These player departures come after nine similar exits occurred in the first stage, necessitating seven fortunate qualifiers to enter the primary competition bracket.
Concurrently, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has revealed its intention to establish “the Tour Architecture Council,” tasked with supervising enhancements within women’s professional tennis.
WTA chair Valerie Camillo stated that the formation of this council is due to the “existing schedule feeling unsustainable for athletes considering the physical, career-related, and individual demands of performing at the elite tier.”
With American world number five Jessica Pegula presiding, the committee’s objective is to “forge significant enhancements to the schedule, player obligations, and various fundamental aspects of the Tour’s operational structure.”
Any prospective modifications to the Tour “might be enacted beginning with the 2027 competitive year.”
This body comprises several athletes, such as former top-ranked player Victoria Azarenka, alongside various tournament organizers and senior WTA Tour executives.
“This presents an opportunity to concentrate on particular components of the Tour’s framework and ascertain what can be managed immediately, simultaneously maintaining dialogue regarding enduring enhancements through a committed and targeted approach,” Pegula stated.
“The WTA possesses both the occasion and the authority to assemble such a collective, and I appreciate their utilization of this influence to facilitate substantial transformation for 2027.”
