Overview
- Top seed Elena Rybakina stopped at 5-7, 6-4, 0-1 to Antonia Ruzic, telling the physio she felt nausea, a heavy head and leg pain and that she was too tired to continue.
- The Dubai event has recorded over 20 withdrawals or retirements, including at least five in‑match exits across qualifying and the main draw.
- Rybakina’s third‑round exit reduces her haul from last year’s semi‑final points, shoring up Iga Swiatek’s hold on the WTA No. 2 ranking for now.
- Lucky loser Antonia Ruzic advanced to her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal after earlier upsetting Emma Raducanu, capitalizing on the depleted field.
- Tournament director Salah Tahlak’s call to dock ranking points for late pullouts drew public criticism, with Coco Gauff and Andy Roddick rejecting the idea as unworkable.