The organizing committee of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, one of the WTA 1000 tournaments, has announced the return of the tournament in a new format for 2026. The event will take place from February 15-21 and will feature all of the world's top 20 players. The tournament will see the participation of the world's tennis elite, led by world number one Aryna Sabalenka, world number two Iga Swiatek, and world number three Coco Gauff. Other players include Amanda Anisimova, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Jasmine Paolini, the 2025 champion, Russian Mirra Andreeva, as well as Madison Keys and Belinda Bencic. Sabalenka returns to Dubai after an exceptional 2025 season, capped by winning the US Open, her fourth Grand Slam title. She also successfully defended her title at the Brisbane International at the start of the 2026 season without losing a single set. Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam champion, will participate after a season that saw her win the 2025 Wimbledon title and record one of the highest winning percentages of the season. Gauff's participation also stands out, as she won the 2025 French Open and the Cincinnati Masters 1000, and finished the season in the world's top three for the first time. The 18-year-old defending champion, Andreeva, will seek to defend her historic achievement. In 2025, she became the youngest winner of a WTA 1000 tournament in history, rapidly rising into the world's top 15. Ramesh Sidamby, General Manager of Dubai Duty Free, stated that the participation of the world's top 20 players reflects Dubai's prestigious position on the tennis calendar and confirms the tournament's appeal to the elite players. Salah Tahlak, Deputy General Manager of Dubai Duty Free and Director of Tournaments, confirmed that the women's tournament continues to offer a high level of competition, and he expects the 2026 edition to feature strong matches from the very first day. Following the women's 1000 tournament, the men's 500 tournament will be held from February 23-28.
