World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka addressed the controversy surrounding her withdrawal from the Dubai Tennis Championships last month, calling the tournament director’s criticism “ridiculous” and suggesting she may reconsider returning to the event.
Speaking ahead of the Miami Open, Sabalenka said the comments struck a nerve, framing the issue as part of a broader concern about how players are treated amid an already demanding schedule.
Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Świątek Withdrawals Ignite Dispute With Dubai Officials
The tension stems from last month’s withdrawals by both Sabalenka and Iga Świątek, the top two players in women’s tennis, along with other prominent stars, from the Dubai tournament. Their absence drew sharp criticism from tournament director Salah Tahlak, who argued that stricter penalties should be imposed on players who pull out close to the start of events.
Dubai is one of the WTA’s mandatory 1000-level tournaments, meaning withdrawals carry consequences under the rulebook, including fines and a zero-point result in the rankings. “I think there should be a harsher punishment on the players, not just fines, they should be docked ranking points,” Tahlak said after the draw ceremony.
Sabalenka strongly rejected the criticism and defended her decision, emphasizing the physical and mental toll of the tour. “I think it’s ridiculous,” she said during her pre-tournament press conference in Miami. “I don’t think he showed himself in the best way possible.”
“For me it’s actually so sad to see that the tournament directors and the tournaments are not protecting us as a player. They just care about their sellings, about their tournament and that’s it. His comment was ridiculous. I’m not sure if I ever want to go there after his comment. For me it’s too much.”
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How Did Sabalenka Balance Health Concerns With WTA Rules and Penalties?
Her withdrawal came as part of a broader decision to skip the entire month of February due to a right hip injury. The Belarusian withdrew from both Dubai and Doha, two mandatory WTA 1000 tournaments, fully aware of the consequences under WTA rules, including fines and a zero-point penalty in the rankings.
Her approach ultimately paid off, as she returned refreshed and captured her first Indian Wells title. The current rulebook already imposes escalating fines for repeated withdrawals, requires medical verification for injury claims, and allows limited schedule-based withdrawals without financial penalty, though they still result in zero ranking points.
Looking ahead, Sabalenka will make her eighth appearance at the Miami Open. The defending champion and top seed received a bye into the second round, where she will face either Ann Li or Australian qualifier Kimberly Birrell.
