Tennis
Upsets Galore: Iga Swiatek Is Only WTA Top 5 Player Left in Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Draw
Wendi Oliveros is a diehard tennis fan that is known to set her clock at ridiculous hours to watch live action especially during the Australian Open. She is known for indulging in strawberries and cream during Wimbledon and has watched the US Open live several times.
Get to know wendioliveros betterPublished19 Feb 2025
World No. 2 Iga Swiatek is the only Top 5 player let in the Dubai Duty Free Championships draw after a wild day of upsets ensued, and the day is not even over yet.
Sabalenka, Paolini, Pegula, Zheng, And Badosa Are Out
Aryna Sabalenka, the world no. 1, was ousted by World No. 38 Clara Tauson in a shocking straight-set loss. Tauson played the match of her life and anticipated Sabalenka’s shots. Tauson avenged her straight-set Australian Open Round of 32 loss to Sabalenka last month.
The biggest win of her career! 👏
Clara Tauson defeats the World No.1 Sabalenka in straight sets 6-3, 6-2 and is into the final eight! #DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/WLafeLq8MM
— wta (@WTA) February 19, 2025
World No. 4 Jasmine Paolini lost in straight sets to American Sofia Kenin. Paolini is the defending champion of the Dubai Duty Free Championships. The worst part of Paolini’s loss is that she injured her ankle but managed to finish the match. She and her doubles partner Sara Errani withdrew.
Jasmine Paolini injured herself in her match against Sofia Kenin in Dubai.
She was in tears, but continued to fight til the end.
Heartbreaking finish for the defending champion.
Hopefully we see her back on court very soon.
🇮🇹❤️🩹🙏
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 19, 2025
World No. 5 Jessica Pegula lost in straight sets to Linda Noskova. Expanding the lens to the Top 10, World No. 8 Qinwen Zheng lost to Peyton Stearns, and World No. 10 Paula Badosa lost a tough three-set battle (6-4, 6-7, 6-7) with World No. 7 Elena Rybakina. Badosa had six match points in that contest.
comeback COMPLETE 👏
Rybakina saves SIX match points en route to defeating Badosa 4-6, 7-6(8), 7-6(2)!#DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/pZylK92maa
— wta (@WTA) February 19, 2025
Emma Navarro is on the court for the second time today in a Round of 16 match against Sorana Cirstea. Because of yesterday’s rain delay, both Navarro and Stearns had to play twice today. Hopefully, Navarro has more in the tank because Peyton Stearns was exhausted from her earlier win over Zheng and lost to Mirra Andreeva in straight sets.
Women’s tennis is so competitive, and it is hard to predict who will win the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. The quarterfinal matchups are as follows: Karolina Muchova vs. the winner of the Navarro and Cirstea match, Tauson vs. Noskova, Andreeva vs. Swiatek, and Rybakina vs. Kenin.
