The 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships saw several top players withdraw, including Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Świątek. Jessica Pegula, who won her first title of the season at the WTA 1000 hard-court tournament in Dubai, recently expressed her feelings about the withdrawals.
In addition to Sabalenka and Świątek, other players who withdrew from the tournament in Dubai included Madison Keys, Naomi Osaka, Victoria Mboko, Zheng Qinwen, Marta Kostyuk, and Maria Sakkari, among others.
Jessica Pegula Makes Her Feelings Known on ‘Depth of Women’s Tennis’ in Light of Dubai Withdrawals
Pegula was seeded fourth at the 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships, and she began her campaign in the second round after receiving a bye. She eliminated Varvara Gracheva, Iva Jovic, Clara Tauson, and Amanda Anisimova to reach the final. There, she triumphed over Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-4, securing her fourth WTA 1000 title and the 10th WTA Tour singles career title.
Following her win, during the post-match press conference, Pegula addressed the withdrawals from the Dubai Tennis Championships.
“I was looking at the draw, actually, and we talked about all these withdrawals, but we had four top 10 girls in the semis, and we had a few more in the quarters. So it just shows you the depth of women’s tennis. It just shows you the level is so high week in and week out, even when you have a lot of players withdrawing,” Pegula said.
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The former World No. 3 remarked that, even with the withdrawals, she faced a “harsh” draw, having to defeat several top-10 players along the way.
“Just because we were missing a few, it doesn’t mean that we still can’t put on some great tennis, and I think we did that, especially last night, with some really good matches. My draw was very harsh. It was a really tough draw, and I was able to beat a couple of top 10 players along the way, so it definitely was not a cakewalk by any means,” she continued.
Pegula mentioned that women’s tennis players are putting on impressive performances week after week, stating that the WTA Tour is currently “super strong.”
“It just shows the depth of the game. It’s not easy. It’s hard. Every single week, every single day, especially in these shorter events, where you’re coming back-to-back days, having to battle right away, and not just battle anybody, but girls that are really, really good. So super proud of the state that our sport is in right now, and I think it’s super strong,” Pegula added.
In addition to her singles campaign at the 2026 Dubai Championships, Pegula also competed in the doubles event alongside Giuliana Olmos. The pair reached the quarterfinals before losing to the eventual champions, the fifth-seeded duo of Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani.
Where Will Pegula Compete Next?
Next, Pegula will defend her title at the 2026 ATX Open, scheduled from February 23 to March 1, 2026. The tournament will be held on outdoor hard courts at The Westwood Country Club in Austin, Texas.
In 2025, Pegula won the WTA 250 hard-court tournament in Austin by defeating compatriot McCartney Kessler in the final, securing her seventh WTA Tour title. This year, in addition to Pegula, players such as Wang Xinyu, Peyton Stearns, Caty McNally, and Petra Marčinko will also compete in the tournament.
Pegula is the top seed at the 2026 ATX Open and will begin her campaign against Rebecca Šramková in the first round. The winner will advance to face either Dalma Gálfi or wild card Bianca Andreescu in the second round.