The 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships are experiencing significant withdrawals from top players just before the tournament begins. Top players such as Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Świątek, and Karolína Muchová have withdrawn from the event. In light of these withdrawals, Coco Gauff shared her thoughts on the suggestion to impose penalties, such as docking ranking points, on players who withdraw at the last minute.
Gauff’s comments followed WTA 1000 Dubai tournament director Salah Tahlak’s call to deduct ranking points from players who withdraw from events shortly before they start.
Coco Gauff on Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Świątek & Dubai Withdrawals
The 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships are scheduled to take place from February 15 to February 21, 2026, on outdoor hard courts at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Gauff, who is seeded third, will begin her campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. She is set to face the winner of the first-round match between Jeļena Ostapenko and Anna Kalinskaya in her opening match.
Ahead of the WTA 1000 tournament in Dubai, Sabalenka withdrew, citing that she did not feel ready to compete. Świątek withdrew due to a scheduling change, while Muchová, who recently won the Qatar Open, withdrew because of fatigue.
When asked about the late withdrawals, Gauff explained that players do not withdraw simply because they do not want to compete; rather, they often do so because of the “burnout” that comes with a demanding schedule throughout the year. However, she mentioned that she doesn’t think players’ points should be docked if they withdraw from tournaments.
“I definitely don’t think players do it, like they just don’t want to play. I don’t think it’s that decision. You look at, like, burnout throughout the year. Although maybe it might not affect you now, it will affect you later. I feel like, for me, this part of the season I have always struggled, I think, just because of the transition and things like that. Do I think players should be docked points? Not really,” Gauff said.
The former World No. 2 noted that the two-week tournaments demand much more from players, affecting their physical health and often leading them to withdraw from competitions.
“We already have the mandatory. We get zeros on our ranking for everything. For this point in the schedule, I think it’s hard to play all the tournaments now that they’re two weeks. I think the ask of players are becoming more and more and more. I do understand the tournament side. They obviously want the players there,” she continued.
The two-time Grand Slam singles champion stated it is “unfortunate” that many top players have withdrawn from the Dubai tournament this year. However, she stated that docking players’ points for this is “harsh.”
“In the past, I think top players have always come to Doha and Dubai. This draw has historically been a tough draw. I understand it’s unfortunate this year. I don’t think it’s fair for players to get docked points. I think, if anything, we should have an optional 1000 like the men do with Monte-Carlo. Yeah, I think that’s a little bit harsh in my opinion,” Gauff added.
In addition to Sabalenka, Świątek, and Muchová, other players such as Qinwen Zheng, Madison Keys, Naomi Osaka, Marta Kostyuk, Markéta Vondroušová, and Eva Lys have also withdrawn from the 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships.
