World No. 1 Iga Swiatek is on course for a potential match-up with two-time Dubai winner Elina Svitolina in the third round following the official 56-player draw for the WTA 1000 event, as part of Dubai Duty Free Championships.
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is set to get underway tomorrow at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium and run until February 24.
World No1 and top-seed Iga Swiatek, a four-time Grand Slam winner who reached the final in Dubai last year, is on course for a second-round meeting with 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens – who faces one of eight qualifiers in the opening round – before a potential match-up with Elina Svitolina.
Swiatek’s half of the draw also features the likes of 2023 US Open champion World No. 4 Coco Gauff, World No. 6 Ons Jabeur, 2017 French Open champion and World No. 10 Jelena Ostapenko, and recent Australian Open finalist Qinwen Zheng.
The impressive women’s field for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships includes 15 of the world’s top 20 players, including 10 Grand Slam winners boasting a collective 17 Grand Slam titles between them.
“This year marks the 24th anniversary of the WTA tournament, which has constantly grown, even more significantly in the past 12 months as our competition was recently awarded permanent WTA 1000 status from this year onwards,” Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free said.
“It’s fantastic to see so many of the world’s top players here again – 15 of the world’s top 20 is a testament to the esteem our event continues to enjoy on the WTA Tour.”
On the opposite side of the draw, back-to-back Australian Open champion and World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka is on course to meet World No.8 and reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the quarterfinals.
The 2022 Wimbledon winner, Elena Rybakina, World No. 9 Maria Sakkari, and the 2020 Australian Open champion, Sofia Kenin, are among those who will stand in her way as she vies to progress past the quarterfinals in Dubai for the first time.
The Official Draw event was attended by Arab superstar Jabeur, 2017 and 2018 Dubai winner Svitolina, and World No. 27 Donna Vekic. Jabeur is relishing making her ninth appearance in Dubai after injury prevented the current Tunisian No1 from participating in last year’s event.
“It’s always amazing to come here,” said Jabeur, who reached the French Open and Wimbledon final last year. “Dubai is my home, so I’m excited to start the season very well here. The most important thing is, of course, to be healthy, so I want to win more matches and achieve more. I’m very fortunate to play here in Dubai and so many tournaments in other Arab countries, and it has really helped me become the player I am today. It is my dream to see more women from this region play tennis and reach a high level.”
Svitolina, who reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon last year just nine months after giving birth, added: “I missed last year, but always have great memories here on centre court: Winning my first big tournament here, entering the top 10 for the first time, so this tournament holds a very special place in my heart… My daughter is now watching the matches, so I have to win for her.”
Vekic, who has played in Dubai only once, is hoping to better her previous performance here: “I’ve played only once here and lost to Ons in the first round, so it wasn’t a very memorable tournament for me, but it’s always great to be in Dubai, and I look forward to improving on last time.”
The Official Draw was led by WTA Supervisor Donna Kelso, who was joined by McLoughlin, Ramesh Cidambi, Chief Operating Officer, Dubai Duty Free and Chairman of the Tournament Organising Committee; Salah Tahlak, Joint-COO of Dubai Duty Free and Tournament Director of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Nasser Yousef Al-Marzouqi, Secretary General of the UAE Tennis Federation, Sinead El Sibai, Senior Vice. President of Marketing at Dubai Duty Free; and WTA referee Sheetal Iyer.
The 24th edition of the annual WTA event takes place one week before the men’s event at the same venue. The women’s competition will run between February 18 and 24, before the 32nd staging of the ATP Tour 500 tournament from February 26 to March 2.
A Dubai-based student robotics team has put the UAE on the global STEM map after securing a major award at one of the world’s leading robotics competitions and earning an invitation to an elite international event in the US.
Team UFORCE, representing Unique World Robotics (UWR), finished third in the prestigious Inspire Award category at the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Michiana Premier Event, held in Indiana from June 18 to 21.
The Inspire Award is FTC’s highest judged honour, recognising excellence in robot design, engineering, programming, innovation, teamwork and community impact. Team UFORCE competed against 96 top robotics teams from around the world.
Invited to exclusive global event
Following its strong performance, Team UFORCE also competed at the Multinational Tech Invitational (MTI) in Maryland, an invitation-only competition featuring just 44 of the world’s best FTC teams selected from more than 11,000 active teams globally.
Showcasing UAE STEM talent
The 16-member team includes students from schools across Dubai and Sharjah, highlighting the UAE’s growing talent in robotics and engineering.
“This achievement reflects the dedication, innovation and perseverance of our students and mentors,” said Bansan Thomas George, founder of Unique World Robotics.
Head coach Mohammed Mukhtar said competing on global platforms demonstrates the ability of young innovators from the UAE to excel internationally.
Team captain Aarnav Bhargava described the competitions as a valuable opportunity to develop technical skills, teamwork and confidence while competing against some of the world’s best robotics teams.
About FIRST Tech Challenge
FIRST Tech Challenge is one of the world’s largest youth robotics programmes and is supported by organisations including Google, Amazon and NASA.
The programme also offers students access to scholarships, mentorship opportunities and pathways to leading universities and STEM institutions.
The achievement also reflects the growing impact of firstrobotics.ae, a UAE volunteer-led robotics community that supports students interested in robotics, artificial intelligence and STEM education.
For UAE fast bowler Muhammad Rohid, being among the highest-valued local players at the DP World ILT20’s first-ever player auction was more than a career milestone, it was proof that homegrown cricketers now have a genuine pathway to the professional game.
The left-arm pacer was signed by MI Emirates for $140,000 ahead of Season 4, making him the fifth-highest-priced UAE player in the historic auction. Rohid believes the league is changing the future of cricket in the Emirates by giving young players a platform to showcase their talent alongside some of the biggest names in the sport.
“The biggest thing the DP World ILT20 has done is create a clear pathway for UAE players,” Rohid said. “Young cricketers can now see that if they perform well, opportunities will come, whether that’s with a franchise or the national team.”
The 24-year-old credits the tournament with helping him develop both on and off the field. He recalled one of his standout moments from
Season 4, when he was told he would be playing in Qualifier 2 just 10 minutes before the toss. Despite the late call-up, Rohid delivered figures of 2 for 19, dismissing Brandon McMullen and Liam Livingstone during a match-winning spell.
“The biggest lesson I learned was to always stay ready because opportunities can come at any moment,” he said. “The environment taught me to trust my preparation, stay calm under pressure and back my abilities.”
Rohid also highlighted the value of sharing a dressing room with international stars such as Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Shakib Al Hasan.
“Watching how they prepare, train and handle pressure has been a huge learning experience. They were always willing to share advice, and those conversations helped me become a better player.”
The pacer has since become a regular member of the UAE national team, featuring in ODIs and T20 Internationals, while also earning selection for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, where he represented the UAE against New Zealand.
Looking ahead, Rohid says his focus remains on improving his game and becoming a bowler his captain can rely on in every situation.
“I want to keep getting better every season and contribute more for both the UAE and MI Emirates. I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve received and hope to make the most of them.”
Season 5 of the DP World ILT20 is scheduled to take place in November and December 2026.
The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) celebrated a landmark achievement after winning three honours at the ICC Development Awards 2025, recognising its outstanding contribution to grassroots cricket and the growth of the women’s game in the UAE.
The awards were presented during the International Cricket Council (ICC) Annual Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland, where cricket boards from around the world were recognised for programmes that have helped expand participation and develop the sport.
Initiative of the Year
The ECB’s first award came in the Marriott Bonvoy ICC Development Initiative of the Year category for its pioneering Girls U15 Academy League. The programme, the first of its kind in the region, was recognised for creating new opportunities for young girls to participate in competitive cricket while promoting inclusion and wider access to the sport.
The board also shared the ICC Female Cricket Initiative of the Year award with Türkiye Cricket. The honour recognised the UAE’s efforts to expand girls’ cricket through the Get into Cricket – Girls Only programme and the Interschool Criiio Gulf Cup, initiatives launched following the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 to introduce cricket to schools and communities across the country.
Victory for UAE women’s national team
Completing a memorable evening, the ECB received the ICC Associate Member Women’s Team Performance of the Year award after the UAE women’s national team made history during its tour of Zimbabwe.
Competing in their first-ever 50-over series after gaining ODI status, the UAE secured a 2-2 draw in the One-Day International series before defeating Zimbabwe 2-0 in the subsequent T20 International series. The result marked the UAE’s maiden bilateral series victory over a higher-ranked Full Member nation on foreign soil.
ECB Board Member Zayed Abbas described the awards as a significant milestone for everyone involved in UAE cricket.
“These awards are a massive encouragement for the Emirates Cricket Board management, officials, players and support staff,” Abbas said.
He thanked the ICC for recognising the work of Associate Members and said the honours had strengthened the board’s determination to invest further in cricket development.
Abbas also praised the rapid rise of women’s cricket in the UAE, saying growing media attention and increased participation at grassroots level were creating a strong foundation for the future.
“Thousands of girls are now playing cricket, which means that we have a solid foundation to work on for the years ahead,” he said.
Bright future for women’s team
Looking ahead, Abbas said the Emirates Cricket Board remains committed to providing the national women’s team with greater exposure against leading international sides as preparations continue for the ACC Women’s Asia Cup 2026 and qualification campaigns for future ICC Women’s T20 and ODI World Cups.
The ICC Development Awards recognise outstanding programmes and achievements that contribute to the growth of cricket globally, with winners selected from regional nominees across multiple development categories.
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