Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka have been confirmed for the WTA 1000 tournament in Dubai, as well some other top names, including defending champion Jasmine Paolini and Zheng Qinwen.
In February, the Polish tennis star will play in the United Arab Emirates event for the fifth consecutive time while the top-ranked Belarusian is set to make her eighth main draw appearance.
In the past, Swiatek finished as runner-up to Barbora Krejcikova in the 2023 final while she was also upset by Anna Kalinskaya in this year’s semifinal.
When it comes to Sabalenka, stunningly she has never made it past the quarterfinal stage at the WTA 1000 tournament in the United Arab Emirates.
On the other side, world No. 4 Paolini captured her maiden WTA 1000 title earlier this year after beating Kalinskaya in the Dubai final and she is set for her third appearance at the tournament.
Jasmine Paolini© YouTube screenshot
Meanwhile, Paris Olympics gold medalist Zheng Qinwen is set to compete at the tournament for the third time. Previously, the world No. 5 picked up a second-round exit in 2023 before losing to Swiatek in this year’s quarterfinal.
Swiatek, Sabalenka, Paolini & Zheng set to highlight the 2025 Dubai player field
“This year marks an important landmark as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the WTA Championships in Dubai. The tournament’s elevation to permanent WTA 1000 status last year underlines the calibre of talent this competition consistently attracts and with the world’s top 10 players now confirmed to participate, Dubai continues to solidify its status as a premier destination on the global tennis stage,” tournament managing director and organizing committee chairman Ramesh Cidambi said.
As it stands now, more big names are expected to be confirmed for the United Arab Emirates tournament.
“We are delighted to have so many of the world’s top women’s players competing in Dubai as we celebrate an incredible milestone in this tournament’s history. Our WTA event continues to grow every year and 2025 promises to be special,” tournament director Salah Tahlak said.
The 2025 tournament edition is slated to take place between February 16-22 and it is already safe to say that the likes of Swiatek and Sabalenka will be the top contenders for the title.
Tennis World USA