The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships women’s tournament has been hit once again by a slew of withdrawals with No6 seed Johanna Konta the latest to pull-out of the event.
Konta was set to make her Middle East debut this month but she pulled out of both Doha, citing a change in schedule, and Dubai with a foot injury. Her spot in the draw was taken by Barbora Strycova, the No9 seed.
“I’m really sorry to have to withdraw from Dubai,” Konta said in a statement. “I came here with every intention to play and I’m really sad I didn’t get to make my debut here, but health has to come first and it’s a long season. I’m really looking forward to coming back next year and for many years to come. It’s a wonderful venue and I’ve enjoyed my short amount of time here in Dubai.”
Defending champion Sara Errani, three-time runner-up Svetlana Kuznetsova and Canadian fan favourite Eugenie Bouchard are also amongst a growing list of absentees.
Errani suffered a right adductor injury during Fed Cup last weekend and her withdrawal brings back nightmarish flashbacks for the organisers, who were tortured by a lengthy list of last-minute pullouts last year.
The fact that all eight seeds crashed out before the quarter-finals also didn’t help.
It drove tournament director Salah Tahlak of Dubai Duty Free to publicly slam the players of the WTA, saying they “lacked commitment”.
“Unfortunately, I’ve suffered a right adductor injury during my last match against Slovakia in Fed Cup.” Errani said in a statement.
“Dubai’s tournament has been crucial to my season since the beginning, as I tried to schedule every move in order to be 100 per cent ready to defend my title as champion. Accordingly to what doctors suggested, I will take the right time to recover before getting back on court, which I hope will be as soon as possible. Dubai, I’ll see you next year.”
Kuznetsova, a regular in Dubai and a losing finalist in 2004, 2008 and 2011, is missing the tournament for just a second time since she made her debut here in 2003.
The Russian two-time grand slam champion is struggling with an abdominal issue that also forced her to miss the Qatar Total Open in Doha this week.
Bouchard is also reportedly suffering from an abductor problem. She also appeared in a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit launch party in New York City on Thursday.
2014 Dubai runner-up Alize Cornet, of France, is also not coming as she sustained a tear in her pectoral muscle.
List of no-shows
Simona Halep – Left knee
Johanna Konta – Foot
Svetlana Kuznetsova – Abdominal
Carla Suarez Navarro – Right shoulder
Timea Bacsinszky – Left thigh
Alize Cornet – Pectoral tear
Karin Knapp – Right knee
Eugenie Bouchard – Abdominal
Sara Errani – Right adductor
Monica Niculescu – Right knee