Naomi Osaka and Barbora Krejcikova have decided to withdraw from the Dubai Tennis Championships. This tournament, which marks the end of the Middle-Eastern swing and starts on February 18th, had a star-studded lineup of champion players. Featuring nine out of the top 10 players, there was a lot of anticipation surrounding the event. Unfortunately, just three days before the first round, both Osaka and Krejcikova announced their withdrawal.
Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner, had a disappointing start to the tournament season. However, she managed to turn things around at the Qatar Open, where she reached the quarterfinals. Her opponent, Lesia Tsurenko, withdrew from the match, granting Osaka an easy path to the next round. Despite this success, Osaka has chosen to withdraw from the Dubai Tennis Championships for reasons that have not been disclosed.
Krejcikova, on the other hand, had a remarkable run at last year’s Dubai Tennis Championships. She defeated the top three seeds consecutively and claimed the well-deserved title. Unfortunately, she had to pull out of this year’s tournament due to a back injury. This injury also forced her to withdraw from the ongoing Qatar Open, where she was the defending champion.
With Osaka and Krejcikova out of the competition, other top players like Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and more will be vying for the title. The Dubai Tennis Championships serves as the final tournament of the Middle East leg, and players usually participate in it before moving on to other countries.
According to the Source firstsportz.com