Qatar Open: Carlos Alcaraz beats Arthur Lindknecht in ‘tough’ first match after Australian Open win
The second round of the Dubai Tennis Championships again suffered from fitness issues as four players, including fifth seed Mira Andreeva, withdrew.
Andreeva advanced when opponent Daria Kasatkina withdrew before the match, while ninth seed Belinda Bencic was also eliminated when Sara Belek withdrew before the match.
Paula Badosa withdrew after losing the first set 6-4 to sixth seed Elina Svitolina, while Ella Seidel retreated after losing the first set 6-0 to Jaqueline Cristian.
This withdrawal comes after nine players dropped out in the first round, with seven lucky losers from the qualifying rounds making it into the main draw.
At the same time, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) announced that it will establish a “Tour Architecture Committee” to oversee improvements to the women’s tennis game.
WTA president Valerie Camillo said in a statement that the committee was established because “the current schedule is unsustainable for players given the physical, professional and personal pressures of competing at the highest level.”
The committee, chaired by American world number five Jessica Pegula, aims to “make meaningful improvements to the schedule, commitments and other core elements of the Tour’s framework”.
Potential changes to the tour “could be implemented as early as the 2027 season.”
The committee is made up of several players, including former world number one Victoria Azarenka, as well as tournament directors and WTA Tour presidents.
“This is an opportunity to focus on a specific part of the Tour’s structure and see what can be addressed in the short term, while continuing to discuss long-term improvements in a focused, dedicated way,” Pegula said.
“The WTA has the opportunity and position to bring a group like this together, and I’m grateful they are using that power to drive real change in 2027.”
