Emma Raducanu’s journey at the 2026 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships has already been marked by twists and turns, even before she’s hit her first ball. The British star, currently ranked world number 25, arrived in Dubai seeking a fresh start after a physically taxing fortnight on the WTA Tour. Just days ago, Raducanu was forced to retire from her opening match at the Qatar Open, citing illness and fatigue that had dogged her since her run to the Transylvania Open final earlier this month.
Originally, all eyes were on Raducanu’s scheduled opening clash against the in-form Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto. Cocciaretto, fresh off a breakthrough quarterfinal showing at the WTA 1000 event in Doha and boasting a 14-4 record for the season, was seen as a dangerous opponent. She had stunned Coco Gauff in Doha and powered through Dubai qualifying by defeating Donna Vekic and Anastasia Zakharova. For Raducanu, the draw looked anything but kind: Cocciaretto’s relentless schedule and recent success made her a formidable first-round foe.
But just hours before their anticipated match on February 16, tournament organizers were thrown into chaos as Cocciaretto withdrew due to a thigh injury. The Italian’s withdrawal came on the heels of a grueling schedule—she’d played back-to-back events and only just qualified for Dubai after her Doha heroics. As a result, Antonia Ruzic, a lucky loser from qualifying and ranked world number 67, was drafted in as Raducanu’s new opponent. Ruzic, who had lost to Rebecca Sramkova in the qualifying rounds and was on a five-match losing streak, suddenly found herself thrust into the spotlight for the fourth match on Court 2.
This wasn’t the only major withdrawal shaking up the Dubai draw. Karolina Muchova, the reigning Qatar Open champion and last year’s Dubai conqueror of Raducanu, also pulled out due to a change of schedule. Muchova’s absence is a significant boost for Raducanu, who was set to face her in a potential second-round rematch. Last year, Muchova ended Raducanu’s Dubai run in straight sets in the second round, and the British star has never forgotten that defeat. Now, with both Cocciaretto and Muchova out, Raducanu’s section of the draw has opened up considerably—at least on paper.
Yet, nothing is guaranteed in tennis, and Raducanu knows it. She’s coming off a physically demanding stretch, having battled a chest infection during her run to the Transylvania Open final in Cluj-Napoca. After her loss to Sorana Cirstea in that final, Raducanu admitted to BBC Sport, “I’ve already been battling a bit of a chest infection, but that [semi-final] match took it out of me extra. So today, I was pretty gassed from the start. But I would much rather have this situation than have lost that match and not played today and be a part of the final. So for me, zero complaints.”
Her recent results have been a mixed bag. While she celebrated her first final appearance since her historic US Open triumph in 2021, she was visibly unwell in the Cluj final and then struggled again in Qatar, retiring after calling for the trainer to check her blood pressure. “Today I didn’t feel so good on the court, so that was a little bit disappointing for my first final after so long,” Raducanu said after her loss to Cirstea. “But I also have to say, Sorana played an incredible match from the start and put so much pressure on me.”
Despite these setbacks, Raducanu’s ranking is at its highest since 2022, and the Dubai Championships represent a golden opportunity to consolidate her place among the world’s elite. Should she reach the third round, she stands to gain valuable ranking points—55, to be exact—though it would not immediately move her up from her current No. 25 spot. Still, every point counts in the tightly packed upper echelons of the WTA rankings.
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships themselves have been rocked by withdrawals this year. In addition to Cocciaretto and Muchova, world number one Aryna Sabalenka and number two Iga Swiatek both pulled out at the last minute. Sabalenka has not played since her defeat in the Australian Open final, while Swiatek, who lost to Maria Sakkari in the Doha quarterfinals, cited the need to work on her game and mental readiness. Tournament director Salah Tahlak voiced his frustration, telling The National, “It was an unfortunate surprise to get news of the withdrawal of Aryna and Iga. And the reasons for withdrawal were a bit strange. Iga said she wasn’t mentally ready to compete, while Sabalenka said she has some minor injuries.”
Raducanu’s own history in Dubai is brief but memorable. She made her debut at the event in 2025, defeating Maria Sakkari in the first round before falling to Muchova in the second. That match was marred by an off-court incident involving a fixated spectator, which left Raducanu visibly upset. The WTA later issued a statement: “On Monday, February 17, Emma Raducanu was approached in a public area by a man who exhibited fixated behaviour. This same individual was identified in the first few rows during Emma’s match on Tuesday at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and subsequently ejected. He will be banned from all WTA events pending a threat assessment.”
As Raducanu prepares to face Ruzic on Monday, she’ll be hoping that the worst of her health issues are behind her. With a lucky loser as her first-round opponent and the draw clearing out ahead of her, opportunity knocks. But as any seasoned tennis fan knows, there are no easy matches on the WTA Tour. Ruzic, despite her recent struggles, will be eager to seize her unexpected chance on the big stage.
Should Raducanu advance, she’ll face either qualifier Moyuka Uchijima or Anastasia Zakharova in the second round, with a potential blockbuster clash against top seed Elena Rybakina looming in the third. The road won’t get any easier, but with her ranking on the rise and a bit of luck finally falling her way, Raducanu has every reason to believe she can make a deep run in Dubai.
For now, the action is underway, and all eyes are on Raducanu as she looks to turn a series of setbacks into a springboard for success at one of the WTA’s marquee events. The tournament is only just heating up, but with the draw wide open, anything can happen in Dubai this week.