Belinda Bencic was set to begin her campaign in the Middle East swing at the 2026 Abu Dhabi Open. She was the defending champion, but recently announced her withdrawal.
Bencic has won the WTA 500 hard-court tournament in Abu Dhabi twice: in 2023 and 2025. She first claimed the title in 2023 by defeating Liudmila Samsonova in the final, securing her eighth career WTA Tour title. In 2025, she triumphed over Ashlyn Krueger in the final, claiming her second title in Abu Dhabi, her ninth career WTA Tour title, and her first title after returning from maternity leave.
Belinda Bencic Withdraws From the 2026 Abu Dhabi Open, Forgoes Title Defense
This year, Bencic was the top seed at the Abu Dhabi Open and was scheduled to begin her campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. She was set to face qualifier Sonay Kartal in her opening match but had to withdraw from the tournament due to illness, forgoing the 500 points she would have defended.
In her statement, Bencic expressed that she had tried “desperately” to be ready to play but could not recover in time. She described the Abu Dhabi Open as a “special tournament” for her and said she is looking forward to returning next year to compete at the WTA 500 event.
“Hi everyone, I am sorry to say I have to withdraw from @mubadalaabudhabiopen due to Illness. I have tried desperately to be ready to play but finally today it was clear I could not. It’s a special tournament that means a lot to me and I have a special place in my heart with the fans. I was excited to defend my title. I look forward to hopefully returning next year to this fantastic event. Thank you for your support!” Bencic wrote.
Before the Abu Dhabi Open, Bencic represented Switzerland at the 2026 United Cup, where the Swiss team finished as runners-up to Poland. She then competed at the Australian Open, defeating Katie Boulter in the first round, before being eliminated in the second round by qualifier Nikola Bartůňková.
Where Will Belinda Bencic Compete Next?
Looking ahead, following her withdrawal from the 2026 Abu Dhabi Open, Bencic is expected to compete at the Qatar Open, scheduled to take place from February 8 to February 14, 2026, at the International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha, Qatar.
In addition to Bencic, other players expected to compete in the WTA 1000 hard-court tournament in Doha include former champions Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Świątek, defending champion Amanda Anisimova, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva, Jasmine Paolini, Elina Svitolina, and Victoria Mboko, among others.
Bencic last participated in the Qatar Open in 2023. She was seeded seventh, and she began her campaign by defeating qualifier Viktoriya Tomova in the first round. The former World No. 4 then eliminated wild card Victoria Azarenka in the second round, before withdrawing from her quarterfinal match against the eventual champion, top seed Świątek.
