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Alex De Minaur and Felix Auger-Aliassime faced off against each other in the final of the ATP 500 event in Rotterdam, with the Australian triumphing – but how much prize money and how many ranking points did they collect along the way?

De Minaur defeated his Canadian rival 6-3, 6-2 to claim his 11^th singles title, with his latest trophy being the first at an indoor event.

It was Auger-Aliassime who had led their head-to-head 3-1 heading into the showpiece match, having also not dropped a set en route.

ATP Ranking points Earned

The ATP uses a 52-week cumulative, rolling system for the rankings, with players effectively having to defend points from the corresponding period 12 months prior.

As a result of his victory, De Minaur has collected 500 ranking points, an increase of 170 from the year prior – having lost the 2025 final of Carlos Alcaraz.

However, based on the scheduling this year, the Live ATP Rankings show him gaining 415 (after having also gained 90 ranking points in Doha in 2025).

Overall, he leapfrogs the Canadian and jumps from the eighth spot to the world No 6 position.

Meanwhile, Auger-Aliassime net-gained 280 points and dropped one spot.

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Full Rotterdam ATP ranking points breakdown:

First round: 25 points

Round of 16: 50 points

Quarter-finalists: 100 points

Semi-finalists: 200 points

Runner-up: 330 points

Champion: 500 points

Rotterdam Prize Money Earned

De Minaur gained $460,555 in prize money for his impressive victory, whilst Auger-Aliassime garnered $247,800.

Full WTA Brisbane prize money breakdown:

First round: $19,205

Round of 16: $36,015

Quarter-finalists: $67,470

Semi-finalists: $132,060

Runner-up: $247,800

Champion: $460,555

What did Alex De Minaur say after the final?

“That’s what it’s all about: just doing my best to rise to the occasion,” De Minaur commented after his victory.

“As the tournament goes on, you try and find ways out of solutions and try to give yourself the best chance to play better the following day, and I did exactly that.

“I’m super pleased with the performance today.

“Third time lucky… I’m super stoked, super happy. It ended up being a great week here in Rotterdam. It’s a place where I always feel really good.

“I was just a step short in the previous years, so it feels great to finally be able to lift the title.

“It’s been one of my favourite spots on the calendar. I love coming back here in Rotterdam. I’ve played some of my best tennis here and I finally get the reward.”

What did Felix Auger-Aliassime say after the final?

“Congrats to Alex and your team,” Auger-Aliassime stated.

“We’ve played a lot of matches throughout the years… I tried my best today, but you were just a little bit too good. [It’s your] third time in the final here, so congrats on the win.”

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Coco Gauff has dismissed calls for WTA players to lose rankings points from late withdrawals after the Dubai tournament director endorsed the hypothetical move.

The comments came after Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka withdrew from the WTA 1000 event in the United Arab Emirates just one day prior to the draw being made.

The Pole’s reason for the decision was a supposed ‘change of schedule’, whilst the Belarusian cited a hip injury – after having also skipped this week’s action in Doha.

Salah Tahlak, the Dubai tournament director, labelled the withdrawal an ‘unfortunate surprise’ and presented the idea that players should be punished via a reduction in their ranking points.

“I think a fine will not do anything,” he commented.

“I feel they should deduct points from the players. A monetary fine won’t help. Many years ago, Serena Williams withdrew and was fined $100,000.

“But what is $100,000? She would play someplace else and make $1,000,000. So the fine isn’t a big deal.”

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Gauff, who is the current world No 5, recently made the last eight at the Australian Open – losing out to Ukrainian Elina Svitolina.

The American then fell to world No 57 Elisabetta Cocciaretto in her first match at the Qatar Open.

She will next participate in the WTA 1000 event in Dubai, opening her campaign against either Jelena Ostapenko or Anna Kalinskaya.

No 1 seed and recently-crowned Melbourne champion Elena Rybakina lurks in the semi-finals, whilst second seed Amanda Anisimova the projected opponent in the final.

During her pre-tournament press conference, Gauff pushed back on Tahlak’s idea of a reduction in ranking points for those who withdraw early.

“Yeah, I mean, for me, I don’t think I’ve ever really pulled out of a 1000 that I can remember off the top of my head,” she commented.

“I definitely don’t think players do it, like they just don’t want to play. I don’t think it’s that decision.

“You look at, like, burnout throughout the year. Although maybe it might not affect you now, it will affect you later.

“I feel like for me, this part of the season I have always struggled I think just because of the transition and things like that.”

Late withdrawals for events may affect the preparation of other players, who might travel based on the entry list, whilst others also may – instead – have opted into qualifying for the event.

Players are at risk of sanctions if they skip a mandatory WTA 1000 tournament without a legitimate justification, such as illness or injury.

That said, each player is permitted three schedule-based absences per season, which result in zero ranking points, but do not trigger any financial penalties.

“Do I think players should be docked points? Not really,” the world No 5 argued.

“We already have the mandatory. We get zeros on our ranking for everything.

“For this point in the schedule, I think it’s hard to play all the tournaments now that they’re two weeks. I think the ask of players are becoming more and more and more.

“I do understand the tournament side. They obviously want the players there. In the past I think top players have always come to Doha and Dubai.

“This draw has historically been a tough draw. I understand it’s unfortunate this year.

“I don’t think it’s fair for players to get docked points. I think, if anything, we should have an optional 1000 like the men do with Monte-Carlo.

“Yeah, I think that’s a little bit harsh in my opinion.”

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The Dubai Tennis Championships tournament director has claimed that players should be docked ranking points for late withdrawals from an event, following Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek’s decision to miss the second WTA 1000 event of 2026.

World No 1 Sabalenka and world No 2 Swiatek both confirmed on Friday that they would not be in action in Dubai, with their withdrawals coming just one day before the draw was made, and two days before the start of the tournament.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka’s withdrawal reason was cited as a hip injury, with the Belarusian also not in action at the Qatar Open this week.

Meanwhile, six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek has withdrawn due to a change of schedule, coming after her quarter-final defeat to Maria Sakkari in Doha.

Both Sabalenka and Swiatek have previously suggested that they would skip a handful of WTA 1000 events in 2026, with several players across both the women’s and men’s game critical of the tennis calendar.

Leading WTA players are expected to contest all 10 WTA 1000 events on the calendar, alongside the four Grand Slam tournaments, and six WTA 500-level events.

The official WTA Rulebook claims that players can face fines should they withdraw from mandatory events, while players are often awarded ‘zero-pointers’ on their WTA ranking if they do not fulfil mandatory requirements.

In quotes reported by The National, Dubai tournament director Salah Tahlak has called into question whether the current rules go far enough to prevent late withdrawals.

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He said: “It was an unfortunate surprise [on Friday] to get news of the withdrawal of Aryna and Iga. And the reasons for withdrawal were a bit strange.

“Iga said she wasn’t mentally ready to compete, while Sabalenka said she has some minor injuries.

“So I don’t know. I think there should be a harsher punishment on the players [for withdrawing], not just fines, they should be docked ranking points.

“I even asked the [tournament] doctor: ‘What is the injury?’ He said it’s a minor injury, not one that would force her to withdraw from the tournament. And for Iga, I asked: ‘Isn’t this a strange decision?’”

Fines have been issued in the past, but with the leading players in the sport regularly making millions of dollars in prize money each season, Tahlak has suggested that ranking points penalties would provide a more significant deterrent.

“I think a fine will not do anything,” he added.

“I feel they should deduct points from the players. A monetary fine won’t help. Many years ago, Serena Williams withdrew and was fined $100,000. But what is $100,000? She would play someplace else and make $1,000,000. So the fine isn’t a big deal.

“We have a meeting coming up in Rome, and I want to shed light on this issue. We have a representative on behalf of the international group [of tournaments] to speak for us with the WTA.

“Because it’s a shame that we’re spending these huge amounts to upgrade our facilities, and in the end, the players are the main part.”

In the absence of both Sabalenka and Swiatek, world No 1 and Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina is the top seed in the draw, with world No 4 Amanda Anisimova seeded second.

Sabalenka and Swiatek are both likely to return to action in Indian Wells, the third WTA 1000 tournament of the year.

Action in Tennis Paradise begins in early March, with Sabalenka a two-time finalist at the event, and Swiatek being a two-time former champion.

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Read Next: WTA Dubai draw: Rybakina No 1 seed, Gauff, Raducanu, Eala all in top half

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Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s rivalry has defined the ATP Tour in recent seasons, and they could be set to do battle once again at the Qatar Open this week.

World No 1 Alcaraz and world No 2 Sinner are the top two seeds at the ATP 500 event, with former world No 1 Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Bublik, and reigning champion Andrey Rublev also all in action.

The draw for the event in Doha has been made and has thrown up several fascinating scenarios, and here we make our predictions for how things could pan out at the high-profile tournament.

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First Quarter

Projected Q/F: (1) Carlos Alcaraz vs (7) Karen Khachanov

Alcaraz has not been in action since his historic Australian Open victory, having made the wise decision to withdraw from the Rotterdam Open and give himself extra time to recover.

The Spaniard’s first match since Melbourne comes against world No 28 Arthur Rinderknech, an opponent he holds a perfect 4-0 head-to-head record against.

The world No 1’s favourable draw will then see him face Valentin Royer or a qualifier in round two, before a projected quarter-final versus seventh seed Khachanov, the 2024 Doha champion.

World No 18 Khachanov has been handed a challenging opener against Jaume Munar, who consistently improved across 2025.

Should he overcome the Spaniard, Khachanov could also be tested by Marton Fucscovics in round two.

Prediction: Alcaraz def Khachanov

Second Quarter

Projected Q/F: (4) Daniil Medvedev vs (5) Andrey Rublev

Both Medvedev and Rublev are former champions in Doha, with Medvedev having lifted the title back at this event in 2023.

The fourth seed faces an intriguing opener against rising star Jerry Shang, who is continuing his return from injury, and could then face long-time rival Stefanos Tsitsipas in round two.

Looking to return to top form in 2026, the Greek has a fortuitous opener against wildcard Moez Echargui — though has a 4-10 record against Medvedev on the ATP Tour.

Medvedev is projected to face reigning champion Rublev in the last eight, though the fifth seed’s form has been unpredictable in recent months.

Rublev faces Jesper de Jong in round one, and could then face Ugo Humbert in round two, with the Frenchman fresh off a run to the Rotterdam semi-final — where he beat Medvedev.

Prediction: Humbert def Medvedev

Third Quarter

Projected Q/F: (8) Jiri Lehecka vs (3) Alexander Bublik

Bublik has been one of the most-improved players of the past twelve months, and a solid start to 2026 puts him well in contention for a deep run here.

The Kazakh should see off a qualifier in his opening round, but could face an intriguing round-two contest against Arthur Fils, with the Frenchman looking to find some form on his return from injury.

Also in this quarter of the draw is eighth seed and 2025 semi-finalist Lehecka, who defeated Alcaraz at the quarter-final stage of this event twelve months ago.

The Czech’s start to 2026 has not been ideal, and he faces a tough opening match versus America’s Jenson Brooksby, who was in resurgent form across 2025.

Should Lehecka overcome that opening test, he will not face an easier match in round two, with either Zizou Bergs or Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard his next opponent.

Prediction: Bublik def Lehecka

Fourth Quarter

Projected Q/F: (6) Jakub Mensik vs (2) Jannik Sinner

Sinner has not been in action since his shock Australian Open semi-final loss to Novak Djokovic, and it will be interesting to see how he responds at the ATP 500 event.

The Italian faces Tomas Machac in the opening round and, assuming he beats the Czech, could face Alexei Popyrin in round two — though the Australian has not won a match since the US Open last year.

This is a very manageable draw for Sinner early on, and perhaps sixth seed Mensik will provide the world No 2’s first significant test.

Mensik’s breakthrough was a run to the final at this event back in 2024, though he has not played since withdrawing from the fourth round of the Australian Open.

However, the Czech has a good draw early on in Doha, with a qualifier in round one, before a potential clash against Zhang Zhizhen in round two.

Prediction: Sinner def Mensik

Semi-final predictions

Alcaraz def Humbert

Sinner def Bublik

Final prediction

Alcaraz def Sinner

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Read Next: Karolina Muchova and Victoria Mboko’s prize money and ranking points from Qatar Open

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Qatar Open champion Karolina Muchova claimed that Victoria Mboko had “many titles” ahead of her after beating the Canadian in the final of the WTA 1000 event in Doha.

Muchova claimed her first-ever WTA 1000 title at the Qatar Open on Saturday, with the 14th seed beating tenth seed Mboko 6-4, 7-5 to lift the biggest title of her career to date.

Victory for the 29-year-old saw her end her wait for a second WTA Tour title, having not lifted a WTA-level title since the Korea Open in September 2019.

And both women are now set for significant moves in the WTA Rankings, with Muchova set to be up to world No 11 on Monday, while Mboko is set to be the world No 10 — cracking the top 10 for the first time.

Though she was beaten in Saturday’s final, Mboko’s run sealed her latest breakthrough in the sport and continued her meteoric rise.

The teen star was ranked outside the top 200 twelve months ago, though she has soared up the WTA Rankings, starting with her historic run to the WTA 1000 Canadian Open title last August.

Mboko won her second WTA Tour title at the Hong Kong Open towards the end of 2025, and then reached the Adelaide International final last January.

The 19-year-old was unable to add a second WTA 1000 title to her collection on Saturday, though she still picked up some big wins during her Doha campaign.

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Mboko defeated two top-10 players, world No 7 Mirra Andreeva and world No 3 Elena Rybakina, during her run, also beating former French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko in the semi-final.

Muchova is a former world No 8 at the peak of her powers, reaching the French Open final in 2023, alongside runner-up finishes at the WTA 1000 Cincinnati Open and China Open during her career.

And the Czech, who was ranked 19th in the world before her Doha campaign, shared a warm message with Mboko after her victory in Saturday’s championship match.

She said: “It’s been a while since I won a tournament, so it’s just nice to get that feeling again, to be reminded of that victory feeling here in Doha, it’s incredible. Thank you very much.

“I’m very excited, if I can take my words, I’d like to, as well, congratulate Victoria — you’re still a teenager if I’m not mistaken, and you play with so much maturity, and you play incredible. It’s been an incredible week for you.

“Congratulations, I’m sure you have many titles ahead of you. Congratulations to you and your team, congrats guys, and good luck for the rest of the season.”

Mboko will not have too much time to recover ahead of the Dubai Tennis Championships, with the second WTA 1000 event of the year already underway.

The Canadian is the 11th seed at the tournament and begins her campaign against Jaqueline Cristian, and could face a rematch versus Andreeva in round three.

Meanwhile, Muchova has withdrawn from the event.

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Former Wimbledon champion and Rotterdam Open tournament director Richard Krajicek has hailed the “unbelievable” rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

World No 1 Alcaraz and No 2 Sinner have been the dominant players on the ATP Tour recently, and the pair have now won the last nine Grand Slam men’s singles titles between them.

Alcaraz’s recent Australian Open triumph came after he and Sinner had won two Grand Slam titles each in both 2024 and 2025, and the pair are the heavy favourites for the remaining three major events in 2026.

Last year also saw the Spaniard and Italian meet in the final of the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open, marking the first time in the Open Era that two men had met in three major finals in the same season.

Alcaraz and Sinner are well ahead of their contemporaries in the ATP Rankings, and their dominance comes directly after the historic era led by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.

Many thought that, following the end of the ‘Big 3’ era, the men’s game would be more open for a few years, with an array of different Grand Slam singles champions crowned.

However, that has ultimately proven to be far from the truth, with Alcaraz and Sinner rarely allowing any other opponent a chance of Grand Slam glory.

1996 Wimbledon champion and former world No 4 Krajicek was among those who questioned the future of men’s tennis after Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic.

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And, speaking to Bolavip, the Dutchman hailed the emergence of Alcaraz and Sinner’s rivalry as a major positive for the sport.

He said: “Alcaraz and Sinner are both unbelievable players, and they have an unbelievable rivalry. I certainly didn’t expect this to happen to tennis after Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. It is like a miracle.

“Of course, we still have Djokovic left. I want to say this is his last year, but with him you never know, probably he has three years left in him. But I was starting to think about what tennis is going to look like, even being a bit worried, and then these two guys arrived on the stage.

“Of course, they are very different. Alcaraz is very outgoing and has a lot of variety, whereas Sinner is more introverted and disciplined.

“Both of them are so popular and are playing amazing tennis, so I never expected this to happen so quickly after the Big Three.”

As the Rotterdam Open tournament director, Krajicek has had the opportunity to work with Alcaraz and Sinner and see them close up in recent years.

Sinner lifted the title at the indoor ATP 500 event in 2024, defeating Alex de Minaur in the final, while Alcaraz beat de Minaur in the final to lift the title in 2025.

The world No 1 was initially set to return to defend his title this week, though he withdrew following his successful Australian Open campaign.

Alcaraz and Sinner are both set to return to action at the Qatar Open next week.

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Read Next: ATP Qatar draw: Carlos Alcaraz faces French No 1 first up as Jannik Sinner gets tough path

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Karolina Muchova pulled off an impressive surprise win to defeat Victoria Mboko and earn herself a big leap up the rankings.

It was the 29-year-old’s first WTA 1000 title but one she was not made to work too hard for, taking the first set 6-4 before securing the match via a 7-5 win in the second.

Muchova had lost five finals before this occasion, two of which were WTA 1000 events, but she overcame those previous demons to become the first Czech winner on the WTA Tour since 2019.

As for Mboko, her impressive rise in the world of tennis hit a road bump but she still has achieved a place in the top 10 for the first time in her career.

What is Karolina Muchova and Victoria Mboko’s new ranking?

Muchova earned 1000 points for her success in Doha which saw her rise an impressive eight spots up the rankings, going from 19th to 11th.

That takes her just three spots away from career-best of No.8 ahead of the Dubai Championships.

As for Mboko, her semi-final victory confirmed her first entry into the top 10 and the 640 points she earned in Doha sees her just 14 behind No.9’s Elina Svitolina.

Mboko’s previous career best was 13th but her performances in Doha has seen her rise up three spots.

What prize money has Karolina Muchova and Victoria Mboko earned from Doha?

For winning the tournament, Muchova earned $665,000 in prize money, taking her total tally to $11,482,721. So far this year, Muchova has won $1,060,691 of which $7,815 was earned from doubles matches.

As for Mboko, she pocketed $385,001 for finishing as runner-up, taking her total tally to $2,524,268. This year, the 19-year-old has won $1,006,979 in prize money.

 

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Having retired from the Qatar Open due to illness, Emma Raducanu returns to action this week with the Dubai Open Championships and her first opponent has been named.

The Briton is competing in the WTA 1000 tournament for the second time in her career having reached the second round last year.

Who is Emma Raducanu’s Dubai Open Championships opponent?

In the Round of 64, Raducanu has been drawn against Elisabetta Cocciaretto who beat Anastasia Zakharova and Donna Vekic in the qualifiers to make it to the tournament proper.

Cocciaretto is a 25-year-old player from Italy and is currently ranked at No.56 in the world, 31 places lower than Raducanu.

In her career to date, she has achieved a best ranking of No.29 in August 2023 and has won two titles, the 2023 Ladies Open Lausanne and the 2026 Hobart International.

She recently made headlines after she beat Coco Gauff in Doha, having entered the main draw as a lucky loser.

Cocciaretto pulled off the upset in the second round, beating Gauff 6-4, 6-2 and credited the Winter Olympics taking place in her home country of Italy as an inspiration.

“I think this week it’s a bit different for us in Italy,” she said. “Now I’m more focused on the Winter Olympics than for the tournament.

“Maybe cheering for the Italian athletes is the key, that’s why I’m playing better maybe!”

In the Grand Slams, she has reached the fourth round of the French Open, the third round of Wimbledon and the second round in both Australia and the United States.

Like Raducanu, this is Cocciaretto’s second appearance in Dubai and she reached the second round last year, losing to Gauff.

What is Emma Raducanu and Elisabetta Cocciaretto’s head-to-head record?

These two have actually never played each other before so it will be another new opponent for Raducanu’s record.

To date, Raducanu has faced 132 different players on the ITF and WTA Tours since she turned pro in 2018.

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Newly-crowned Australian Open champion Carlos Alcaraz has been handed a fairly comfortable draw at the Qatar Open while Jannik Sinner could face Jakub Mensik and Alexander Bublik.

Fresh from becoming the youngest player to complete the Career Grand Slam by winning the hard-court at Melbourne Park, Alcaraz will look to continue his winning streak at the ATP 500 event

The seven-time major champion will kick off his campaign against French No 1 Arthur Rinderknech in what will be a fifth career meeting between the pair with the Spaniard victorious in all four previous encounters, including in the round of 16 during his title run at the US Open last September.

The winner of that clash will take on either Valentin Royer or a qualifier in the second round while seventh seed Karen Khachanov is a projected quarter-final opponent.

Fourth seed Daniil Medvedev and defending champion Andrey Rublev will likely battle it out for a semi-final spot in the bottom part of the top half of the draw.

2023 champion Medvedev faces Shang Juncheng first up while he could take on the out-of-sorts Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round before a possible showdown with two-time Doha winner Rublev, who starts his campaign against Jesper de Jong.

World No 2 Sinner is certainly in the tougher half of the draw as he will face Czech world No 31 Tomas Machac in the first round before a possible clash against Alexei Popyrin or wildcard Mubarak Al-Harrasi.

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The four-time Grand Slam winner is projected to meet sixth seed Mensik, who takes on a qualifier first up, in the quarter-final and third seed Bublik in the semi-final.

Mensik, of course, reached the quarter-final of the Australian Open and was expected to give Novak Djokovic a big challenge, but the Czech was unable to take to court as he withdrew due to an abdominal injury.

Djokovic – who was due to be the third seed in Doha before withdrawing from the tournament this week – received a walkover in Melbourne and then defeated Sinner in the semi-final before losing the final against Alcaraz.

Bublik, meanwhile, will also open against a qualifier while he could meet Arthur Fils in the third round and eighth seed Jiri Lehecka in the quarter-final.

Projected Quarter-Finals:

Alcaraz v Khachanov
Medvedev v Rublev
Lehecka v Bublik
Mensik v Sinner

Rublev defeated Jack Draper in three sets in the 2025 Qatar Open with Alcaraz losing in the quarter-final against Lehecka. Sinner did not compete as he was completing his three-month ban following his positive doping tests in March 2024.

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Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina will likely have to beat Qatar Open finalist Karolina Muchova, world No 9 Elina Svitolina and two-time Grand Slam winner Coco Gauff if she is to reach the final of the Dubai Tennis Championship.

With world No 1 Aryna Sablaneka and world No 2 Iga Swiatek withdrawing from the WTA 1000 event, Rybakina has inherited the top seed status and she – along with the other top eight seeds – will have a bye into the second round.

The Kazakh star will start her campaign against either Tatjana Maria or a qualifier before a possible meeting with 15th seed Muchova in the third round.

Muchova, who will face Victoria Mboko in the final of the Qatar Open on Saturday, starts off against a qualifier or a lucky loser and if she wins her opener she could face Emma Raducanu in the second round. Raducanu also faces a lucky loser/qualifier in the first round.

If seedings hold, then Rybakina is scheduled to face seventh seed Svitolina in the quarter-final although the Ukrainian has a tough path.

She faces either Paula Badosa or Katerina Siniakova in the second round before a possible meeting with ninth seed Belinda Bencic in the third round.

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Rybakina is projected to meet third seed Gauff in the last four of the tournament, but the American has struggled recently as she is coming off a shock second-round exit in Doha.

The third seed will face either Jelena Ostapenko – a semi-finalist in Qatar – or Anna Kalinskaya – who reached the quarter-final this week – in the second round while 14th seed Emma Navarro is a possible third round opponent.

A Gauff-Jasmine Paolini quarter-final is on the cards, but the latter will likely have to navigate her way past Alex Eala, who faces a qualifier/lucky loser in the first round, and 10th seed Linda Noskova en route to the last eight.

World No 4 Anisimova headlines the bottom half of the draw and she will start against either Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or Barbora Krejcikova while she could meet 13th seed Liudmila Samsonova in the third round and defending champion Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-final.

However, Andreeva will likely have to beat the in-form Victoria Mboko, a finalist in Qatar, in the third round.

The fifth-seeded Andreeva faces either Laura Siegemund or Daria Kasatkina in the second round while 11th seed Mboko starts her campaign against Jaqueline Cristian before a possible meeting with Cristina Bucsa.

The winner of Section 4 will likely face fourth seed Jessica Pegula in the semi-final with the American handed a kind draw.

Pegula starts against a lucky loser/qualifier in the second round before a possible all-American clash against 18-year-old compatriot Iva Jovic while she is projected to meet eighth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the quarter-final.

Projected Dubai Quarter-Finals:

Rybakina v Svitolina
Gauff v Paolini
Alexandrova v Pegula
Andreeva v Anisimova

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