DUBAI: The official draw for the 25th WTA 1000 event at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships served up some intriguing first-round clashes, with the tie of the round pitching former US Open champion Emma Raducanu against Greek former World No. 3 and two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist Maria Sakkari.

Tunisian ace Ons Jabeur, meanwhile, will take on American Peyton Stearns in the opening round. With the full draw completed during Saturday’s ceremony at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, the stage is set for a week of world-class women’s tennis with 36 of the top 40 players scheduled to take to the courts in Garhoud.

Raducanu, who received a wildcard for the event, is making her Dubai debut and aims to extend her winning run over Sakkari, having previously defeated the Greek No. 1 in the 2021 US Open semi-final on route to her maiden Grand Slam title before following that up with a comprehensive straight sets victory to reach the last 16 of Wimbledon last year.

The 25th anniversary WTA 1000 event will be held from Feb. 16-22 at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, with a star-studded line-up featuring nine of the world’s top 10 and 17 of the top 20 players, including reigning champion Jasmine Paolini. The top eight seeds all received first-round byes in Saturday’s draw.

“This year marks the 25th edition of the women’s tournament, which has permanent 1000 status. The competition has grown significantly alongside the men’s ATP 500 event, which celebrates its 33rd anniversary next week,” Ramesh Cidambi, managing director of Dubai Duty Free and chairman of the tournament organising committee, said. 

“As always, the WTA week draws the world’s top female athletes, and this year is no different. We look forward to welcoming back, among others, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, five-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek and reigning champion Jasmine Paolini, who reached the French Open and Wimbledon finals before winning Olympic doubles gold in a breakout 2024.”

The official draw was attended by 2024 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship finalist Anna Kalinskaya, now world No. 18, and Sorana Cirstea, a two-time WTA Tour singles champion and Dubai resident, who is making her ninth appearance at the tournament.

Kalinskaya enjoyed a career-defining year in 2024 as she climbed from world No. 77 to just outside the top 10, defeating Coco Gauff, Swiatek and Jelena Ostapenko on her way to last year’s final in Dubai.

“I’m very excited to be back. I have so many good memories from last year’s amazing matches, so I’m really looking forward to playing in front of this crowd. Hopefully, I can put on a great performance and deliver some exciting matches,” the 26-year-old said.

Asked about her plans to improve in 2025, she added: “There’s no big secret, just hard work and improving day by day. Of course, my goal this year is to be even better and reach the top 10.”

Cirstea, who in February reached her highest ranking in more than a decade —just one spot shy of her 2013 career high, said: “I don’t know if many people know, but I live in Dubai. I have residency here, so this is my home. This feels like a home tournament, and again, I’m very, very grateful for receiving the wildcard. I’m very excited to be back. I know the field is extremely tough, but I hope I can have a good week and show my best.

“This is my ninth appearance here. The first time I came, I was 17 years old, and I can see all the improvements the tournament has made. In my eyes, it’s one of the best tournaments on [the WTA] Tour.”

The 25th edition of the annual WTA event takes place a week before the men’s event at the same venue. The women’s competition will run from Feb. 16-22, before the 33rd staging of the ATP Tour 500 tournament from Feb. 24 to March 1.

DOHA: Three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek advanced to the semifinals of the Qatar Open on Thursday with a straight-sets win over last year’s runner-up Elena Rybakina.

Second seed Swiatek staved off a fightback from the fifth-seeded Kazakh in the second set to win 6-2, 7-5.

Ekaterina Alexandrova continued her impressive form against sixth seed Jessica Pegula, winning 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, having eliminated world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the second round.

After the exits of Rybakina and Pegula, Swiatek is the last survivor among the Doha seeds.

“I’m super happy and proud of myself, in the second set I felt she lifted her level,” said Swiatek.

She next plays Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko who eased past Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, a former world No. 2, 6-2, 6-2.

“I need to be prepared for some tricky shots, but I have some myself,” added five-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek, who is bidding for a 23rd WTA title but first since the French Open in June.

Swiatek easily won the first set against Rybakina after breaking her rival’s serve twice.

But the Pole was broken at the start of the second and struggled to catch up for a long time, missing five break points before finally finding the opening to get back to 4-4.

A break at 6-5 in favor of Swiatek, sealed by a double fault from Rybakina, secured victory for the Pole.

Alexandrova, ranked 26th, extended her winning run to eight matches following her triumph in Linz, Austria at the start of the month.

The Russian struggled in the first set against Pegula, twice dropping serve and paying for four double faults.

But she took control thereafter and allowed her opponent just two more games as she eased through to the last four.

“I just play every single match and every single point and I don’t think about the future,” said the 30-year-old, who is hunting a sixth career title.

She will meet Amanda Anisimova for a place in the final after the American beat Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk 4-6, 7-5, 6-4

“It’s step by step and I am glad that policy is working out as I feel amazing. Being in semis is just great,” said Alexandrova.

“When I saw the draw I thought maybe I will not get very far.

“I’m really happy with the way I’m playing right now. And I want to keep it as long as possible — no matter what.”