By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Photo credit: Lintao Zhang/Getty
Top players continue to fall from the Dubai draw and a lucky loser has emerged as a big winner.
Lucky loser Antonia Ruzic led top-seeded Elena Rybakina 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 when the Australian Open champion retired due to apparent nausea-related illness and fatigue.
After calling for the tournament doctor in a medical timeout, Rybakina said “I’m going to stop.”
Then, the top seed walked to net to shake Ruzic’s hand.
“It’s my first time as a lucky loser, you’ve got to take your second chances and I’m taking it,” Ruzic said. “It’s certainly not the way I wanted to win. I hope Elena feels better.”
World No. 67 Ruzic scored her second win over a Grand Slam champion in this Dubai draw following her 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 opening-round victory over 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu.
The 23-year-old Ruzic will face either former Olympic gold-medal champion Belinda Bencic or AO semifinalist Elina Svitolina for a semifinal spot.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Rybakina’s retirement makes her the latest star to depart the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships draw.
The world’s top two-ranked players, No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 Iga Swiatek, withdrew before the tournament began. Doha champion Karolina Muchova, Doha finalist Victoria Mboko, Doha semifinalist Maria Sakkari and Olympic gold-medal champion Zheng Qinwen also all withdrew from Dubai.