Rybakina rolls through in Dubai, Andreeva & Bencic given walkovers as withdrawals continue

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kasatkina-daria/GU42elks/"]Daria Kasatkina[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bejlek-sara/jVCKq0LH/"]Sara Bejlek[/a] were unable to take to the court due to injury problems, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/badosa-paula/Wl76rX3I/"]Paula Badosa[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/seidel-ella/WSCEkk6I/"]Ella Seidel[/a] both retired after losing the first sets of their respective matches.[/p][p]The top two-ranked players in the world, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabalenka-aryna/vyhksgUB/"]Aryna Sabalenka[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/swiatek-iga/jNyZsXZe/"]Iga Swiatek[/a], didn't turn up in Dubai, while Doha finalists [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/muchova-karolina/Or4Qa1ye/"]Karolina Muchova[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mboko-victoria/AqVez8TJ/"]Victoria Mboko[/a] were late withdrawals, as were [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sakkari-maria/KjsokFUj/"]Maria Sakkari[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zheng-qinwen/xCyEhjAS/"]Qinwen Zheng[/a].[/p][p]Second seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/anisimova-amanda/nwkutKbi/"]Amanda Anisimova[/a] was also given a walkover on Monday when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/krejcikova-barbora/2FyACZYi/"]Barbora Krejcikova[/a] pulled out of their clash.[/p][embed guid="88886be6-f52b-4873-b526-8511d7bcc14d" url="https://x.com/WTA/status/2023760783948001466" social-type="twitter" /][p]The relentless, jam-packed tennis schedule remains a hot topic of conversation, with players openly voicing their displeasure with the situation.[/p][p]"[b]It's a very quick turnaround[/b]," Sakkari said after her defeat in the Doha semi-final last week.[/p][p]"[b]Right now ‌I have no energy at all. I need food and fuel ... We decided we're going to play ​a more reduced calendar. Not that it means I'm going to play 10 to 12 tournaments a year, but we're not going to stupidly chase points and tournaments[/b]."[/p][h2]Rybakina, Gauff and Pegula progress[/h2][p]Australian Open champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rybakina-elena/UDzElXdm/"]Rybakina[/a] got her charge for the title and the world number two spot underway with a crushing win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/birrell-kimberly/S4ljFw3g/"]Kimberly Birrell[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/birrell-k-S4ljFw3g/rybakina-e-UDzElXdm/?mid=ALZKnXXp"]6-1, 6-2[/a].[/p][p]Rybakina was in imperious touch, and should she reach the semi-finals, she will overtake Swiatek to reach a career-high ranking.[/p][embed guid="41e0286d-32f1-4981-896d-5e5cd95a88d7" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqpPkzjAHMA" social-type="youtube" /][p]Meanwhile, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gauff-coco/f5BXmEH6/"]Coco Gauff[/a] moved into the next round after a much-needed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/gauff-c-f5BXmEH6/kalinskaya-a-KGdcQnEf/?mid=fcHuWHqp"]6-4, 6-4[/a] triumph over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kalinskaya-anna/KGdcQnEf/"]Anna Kalinskaya[/a]. Neither player was at their best in what was an error-strewn encounter, but Gauff is back to winning ways after her opening-round defeat in Doha last week[/p][p]It was much more convincing from fellow American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pegula-jessica/KdojxrAR/"]Jessica Pegula[/a], who cruised through with a thumping [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/gracheva-v-MysmW1jf/pegula-j-KdojxrAR/?mid=U94FgaP1"]6-4, 6-0[/a] victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gracheva-varvara/MysmW1jf/"]Varvara Gracheva[/a].[/p][embed guid="b601fe28-6cbd-49d3-9324-f8a3a1505100" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwyFedRxODc" social-type="youtube" /][p]The 31-year-old comes into this event feeling fresh after opting to miss Doha, and will face 18-year-old sensation [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jovic-iva/bmWvBlnL/"]Iva Jovic[/a], who continued her rise with a fine [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/jovic-i-bmWvBlnL/shnaider-d-028BdVOj/?mid=IHeXYce3"]6-4, 1-6, 6-0[/a] win against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shnaider-diana/028BdVOj/"]Diana Shnaider[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cirstea-sorana/fBPsm3Iq/"]Sorana Cirstea[/a]'s fantastic final year on the WTA Tour showed no sign of slowing down, swatting aside 10th seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/noskova-linda/zHMiAkw6/"]Linda Noskova[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/cirstea-s-fBPsm3Iq/noskova-l-zHMiAkw6/?mid=AJUiRh3N"]6-1, 6-4[/a].[/p][p]The Romanian, who won her home event in Transylvania at the start of February, announced back in December that she would retire at the end of 2026.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eala-alexandra/ppu9X7PH/"]Alexandra Eala[/a] awaits her in the last 16, after the 20-year-old stunned sixth seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/paolini-jasmine/noaX0EJn/"]Jasmine Paolini[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/eala-a-ppu9X7PH/paolini-j-noaX0EJn/?mid=MqB3IYGa"]6-1, 7-6(5)[/a]. It ends a dismal Middle East swing for the latter, who has fallen at the first hurdle in Doha and Dubai.[/p][p]Eighth seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alexandrova-ekaterina/dzbgeEFF/"]Ekaterina Alexandrova[/a] also suffered an early exit, falling [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/alexandrova-e-dzbgeEFF/linette-m-vXvzyRlq/?mid=Y57QPGOP"]6-2, 4-6, 6-1[/a] to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/linette-magda/vXvzyRlq/"]Magda Linette[/a]. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/navarro-emma/WxLdKcAs/"]Emma Navarro[/a] was sent packing, too, after a heavy [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/mertens-e-Y1ZrrUtl/navarro-e-WxLdKcAs/?mid=QN8oBf3d"]6-2, 6-2[/a] defeat to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mertens-elise/Y1ZrrUtl/"]Elise Mertens[/a].[/p][embed guid="20f77280-9e06-4e80-83ed-e630d56fa2b7" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95kUBlIrZFk" social-type="youtube" /]