The WTA 1000 tournament in Dubai, part of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships series, is set to unfold with a substantial prize fund of $4,088,211. According to reports from Ukrinform, Elina Svitolina, currently ranked No. 9 in the world and a three-time champion in Dubai, has been placed as the seventh seed and will receive a first-round bye.
Svitolina’s initial match will be determined based on the outcome between Kateryna Sinyakova (world No. 44) and Paula Badosa (No. 64), as both athletes vie for the opportunity to challenge Svitolina. This marks Svitolina’s 11th appearance in Dubai, where she previously captured the title in both 2017 and 2018.
In addition to Svitolina, Dayana Yastremska, who is ranked No. 42, will kick off her tournament against Indonesia’s Janis Tjen (No. 46) in the first round. This matchup is particularly interesting as the two players have not faced each other before. Yastremska, returning to Dubai for the seventh time, is currently focused on enhancing her game for the new season, having previously reached the semifinals at this tournament four years ago.
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is scheduled to take place from February 15 to February 21. Notably, in a wider context of Ukrainian tennis, Veronika Podrez recently celebrated her first doubles title on the ITF circuit, adding to the momentum and achievements of Ukrainian players in the sport.
With Svitolina aiming to secure a higher ranking and Yastremska striving to prove herself against top competitors, the Ukrainian players are poised for an exciting and competitive tournament in Dubai.