Day 3 of the WTA 1000 Dubai Duty Free Championships saw some notable withdrawals among the top seeds, including defending champion Mirra Andreeva. Seeded fifth, Andreeva’s advancement to the next round came without a match as her opponent, Australia’s Daria Kasatkina, withdrew from the competition due to a hip injury.
Elena Rybakina, the tournament’s third seed from Kazakhstan, commented on her connection to Dubai, saying, “I spend so much time here, so it feels like home. The atmosphere is great on the court, and I feel a lot of support, which makes it very enjoyable to play here.” Rybakina will face Jaqueline Cristian in the next round after Cristian advanced when her previous opponent, German qualifier Ella Seidel, had to retire due to illness while trailing 6-0.
Swiss player Belinda Bencic, a former champion in Dubai, also progressed without playing as American wild-card Sara Bejlek was forced to withdraw due to an abdominal injury ahead of their scheduled match. Bencic’s recent victory in Abu Dhabi has propelled her into the Top 50 rankings.
Bencic’s next challenge comes against Ukrainian seventh seed Elina Svitolina. Svitolina moved ahead in the tournament when Spain’s Paula Badosa retired after losing the first set due to a thigh injury. Badosa, who had achieved her third victory of the season just days earlier, had been recovering from a chronic back issue that had limited her participation previously.
In another pivotal match, American fourth seed Jessica Pegula made quick work of qualifier Varvara Gracheva, defeating her in straight sets, 6-4 6-0, in just 70 minutes. Pegula, who returned to the court after her semifinal run at the Australian Open, attributed her success to solid serving and an ability to shift gears mid-match. She will next take on fellow American Iva Jovic, who won her match against Diana Shnaider.
Meanwhile, Coco Gauff, the tournament’s third seed, overcame a challenge from Anna Kalinskaya, winning 6-4 6-4 despite falling behind in both sets. Gauff successfully avenged her previous loss to Kalinskaya in Dubai two years ago. The American now prepares to face Elise Mertens, who defeated No. 14 seed Emma Navarro in another match.
A standout performance came from Alexandra Eala, who recorded a significant upset by defeating former champion and World No. 8 Jasmine Paolini in straight sets, 6-1 7-6(5). This victory not only delighted her many Filipino fans but also marked Eala’s third win over a Top 10 player. Eala now moves on to face Sorana Cirstea, who herself had a strong showing in defeating Linda Noskova.
Elsewhere, Polish player Magda Linette secured her spot in the Last 16 by overcoming No. 8 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, setting up a meeting with Clara Tauson, while Tauson advanced past Peyton Stearns.
Overall, Day 3 highlighted both the excitement of new talents emerging on the WTA Tour and the unpredictability that injuries bring to high-stakes matches, with several players eyeing a deep run in the tournament.
