Top seed Jessica Pegula withdrew from the 2026 ATX Open on Monday with a left knee injury, with the defending champion exitng just days after winning her 10th career WTA title at the Dubai Championships.
The world No. 5 was scheduled to face Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova in her opening match. China's Yuan Yue subsequently replaced Pegula in the draw, with 18-year-old Iva Jovic taking over as the tournament's top seed.
"I am disappointed to not be able to defend my title in Austin," Pegula said in a statement. "I love this event and have such great memories from last year. Hopefully I can come back in the future."
The 32-year-old won five matches in five days during her Dubai title run, battling through back-to-back three-set victories at the WTA 1000 event. The WTA Tour's grueling schedule — the subject of recent controversy — may have contributed to her knee injury.
Pegula is currently riding 13-2 2026 record, with her only losses coming to Marta Kostyuk in the Brisbane semifinals and Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open semifinals. She's has now reached seven consecutive semifinals dating back to last year's US Open — the most by any player since Agnieszka Radwanska in 2016.
The US star dominated in her Austin debut last season. She dropped just one set en route to the 2025 title, after defeating McCartney Kessler 7-5, 6-2 in the final.
Discussing her durability after Dubai, Pegula noted that early-career injuries impacted her performances on tour. Despite the wear and tear, however, she said she feels as healthy as ever.
"I'm old, you can say it," Pegula laughed. "I don't feel that old because I had so many injuries in my early 20s... I was able to mature and find my game and believe in what I needed to do through the ups and downs."
What's next for Jessica Pegula on the 2026 WTA Tour
Injury depending, Pegula will next hit the court for the 2026 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells on March 5th. She'll then return to the Miami Open on March 15th, looking to better her 2025 final appearance.
Nike suffered another major tennis setback this week, as British star Emma Raducanu officially signed with Uniqlo for a reported $3.5 million annually over four years.
Uniqlo announced Raducanu as its newest Global Brand Ambassador, with the world No. 25 set to promote the brand's LifeWear philosophy both on and off the court. Raducanu will laos help design her on-court apparel and participate in community engagement programs for the Japanese brand.
The loss represents Nike's latest tennis departure in recent months. The retail giant previously lost England's Jack Draper to Vuori last August while US stars Frances Tiafoe left for lululemon and Taylor Fritz signed with BOSS.
The US brand continues to have top-ranked players under contract, including WTA No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, while Japanese fan favorite Naomi Osaka remains the only Nike tennis athlete with a signature collection. Despite the effort, the numbers stand in stark contrast to Nike's dominance during the Serena Williams era.
Competitors have seized the opportunity to outperform Nike in the tennis space, as retailers across the industry now surpass the Oregon-based brand in on-court apparel design, marketing campaigns, and social media engagement.
Raducanu expressed excitement about her new partnership, noting that Uniqlo shares her values on life, culture, and society. The 2021 US Open champion will play an active role in Uniqlo's Next Generation Development Program, which provides coaching to young players.
US tennis star Coco Gauff battled for more than three hours on Friday, ultimately falling to Elina Svitolina 6-4, 6-7(13), 6-4 in the 2026 Dubai Championships semifinals.
Svitolina dominated the first set 6-4 and appeared headed for victory in the second set tiebreak, going on to hold four match points as Gauff faced elimination. However, the world No. 4 showed resilience, saving all four match points to eventually win the tiebreak 15-13 and force a deciding set.
The second-set tiebreak became one of the longest in Dubai history. Gauff fought off the match points with aggressive baseline play and clutch serving, forcing the world No. 9 to mentally regroup after letting the set slip away.
Gauff carried her momentum into the third set, though Svitolina managed to regain her composure and raise her level. The Ukrainian veteran broke Gauff's serve in the final game to seal the victory on her sixth match point.
"Speechless after that fight," Svitolina said postmatch. "I was really trying to put myself out there, and I was playing like there is no tomorrow, just trying to put all the effort in."
Gauff exits Dubai after a strong week that included saving three match points against Elise Mertens in the third round and dominating Alexandra Eala in the quarterfinals. The 21-year-old reached her second Dubai semifinal, but fell short of the final.
What's next for Svitolina after defeating Coco Gauff in Dubai
Svitolina now advances to face US star Jessica Pegula in Saturday's Dubai Championships final — her first since 2018 and her first WTA 1000 final in nearly eight years.
Svitolina hits the hardcourt against Pegula tomorrow at 10 AM ET, live on The Tennis Channel.
No. 4 seed Jessica Pegula staged a semifinal comeback on Thursday, defeating Amanda Anisimova 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 after trailing 6-1, 3-1 in the 2026 Dubai Championships semifinal.
Pegula looked in trouble early as Anisimova dominated the opening set, racing through in just 26 minutes. The No. 2 seed then broke Pegula's serve early in the second set to grab a 3-1 advantage.
However, Pegula responded by winning five consecutive games to take the second set 6-4. She carried that momentum into the decider, breaking Anisimova twice to seal the victory after 2 hours and 2 minutes on the hardcourt.
The win improved Pegula's head-to-head record against Anisimova to 5-0. Three of those five victories have come in three-set battles, including last month's Australian Open quarterfinal.
Pegula advanced to her 21st career final, and her 10th at WTA 1000 level or above. The 31-year-old owns three WTA 1000 titles — Guadalajara 2022, Montreal 2023, and Toronto 2024 — while reaching four additional WTA 1000 finals and the 2024 US Open final.
The victory also extended Pegula's semifinal streak to eight consecutive tournaments, dating back to last year's US Open.
How to watch Jessica Pegula at the 2026 Dubai Championships
Pegula will next face either Coco Gauff or Elina Svitolina in Saturday's final as she seeks her first Dubai title.
The US star leads her head-to-head against Gauff 5-3 overall and 3-1 on outdoor hard courts, while holding a 5-3 advantage against Svitolina, including a 5-2 record on outdoor hard courts.
Coco Gauff delivered a dominant performance on Thursday, defeating rising star Alexandra Eala 6-0, 6-2 in just 67 minutes to advance to the Dubai Championships semifinals.
Gauff's victory marked a complete turnaround from her previous match. Just one day earlier, Gauff saved three match points against Elise Mertens in a dramatic third-round escape, going on to transform that Round of 16 near-defeat into momentum against Eala.
20-year-old Philippines native Eala struggled to find her rhythm against Gauff's aggressive baseline play. The world No. 4 raced through the first set without dropping a game, while Eala managed just two games in the second set before Gauff closed out the match.
"Each match, I've gotten better," Gauff said afterwards. "I definitely wasn't in good spirits before entering this tournament, but you know, one match can change everything."
The victory marked Gauff's first win over Eala at the WTA Tour level. The crowd at Center Court had passionately supported Eala throughout the week's night sessions, with Gauff showing appreciation for the 20-year-old's fanbase in her postmatch interview.
What's next for Coco Gauff and Alexandra Eala in Dubai
Gauff now reaches the Dubai Championships semifinals for the second time in her career, joining fellow US stars Jessica Pegula and Amanda Anisimova in the final four. This is just the third time three US athletes have reached a WTA 1000 semifinal round since the format's 2009 launch.
Eala exits Dubai after an impressive run that included a Top 10 victory over Jasmine Paolini. Despite the loss, the world No. 47 had a breakthrough week, signaling continued growth for the up-and-coming player.
Gauff will next face either Pegula or Anisimova in the 2026 Dubai Championships semifinals.
Mirra Andreeva has officially exited the Dubai Championships, as Amanda Anisimova defeated the 2025 title-winner 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(4) after 2 hours and 38 minutes of dramatic quarterfinal play.
Andreeva, the tournament's No. 5 seed, dominated the opening set 6-2, with the 18-year-old Russian appearing semifinal-bound after leading 5-3 in the third set. That's when second-seed Anisimova mounted a late charge and forced a tiebreak.
Anisimova later converted her fourth match point to seal the victory 7-4 in the breaker. Andreeva doubled over with emotion after her final backhand sailed long, struggling to hold back tears.
"I was almost in tears there at the end," Anisimova said postmatch. "Seeing Mirra down like that, it's understandable. We both fought so hard today, and it made me emotional seeing her like that."
Mirra Andreeva won the Dubai title last year, becoming one of the youngest champions in tournament history. Her defense showcased the same fighting spirit that defined her breakthrough 2025 season.
Thursday marked the second consecutive heated meeting between the players. Anisimova defeated Andreeva 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-3 in Miami last year, ending the teenager's 13-match winning streak.
The victory gave Anisimova her first Top 10 win of 2026. She now advances to face Jessica Pegula in an all-US semifinal. Pegula holds a 4-0 career record against Anisimova, including a recent Australian Open victory.
Despite the loss, Andreeva successfully reached her seventh consecutive semifinal — a streak that daties back to the 2025 US Open.
Coco Gauff spoke candidly about the political situation in the United States this week, speaking out against recent violence during a press conference at the 2026 Dubai Championships.
In her remarks, the 21-year-old tennis star condemned the recent fatal shootings in Minneapolis involving federal ICE agents.
"Everything going on in the US, obviously I'm not really for it," Gauff told reporters. "I don't think people should be dying in the streets just for existing. I don't like what's going on."
Gauff went on to call out the deaths of Minnesota residents Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was killed while using her Honda Pilot SUV to block ICE agents during a residential operation. Pretti, an ICU nurse, was fatally shot after stepping in to help a woman during an ICE protest.
While voicing her concerns, the two-time Grand Slam champion also emphasized her patriotism.
"It is tough to wake up and see something, because I do care a lot about our country," Gauff said from Dubai. "I think people think I don't for some reason, but I do. I'm very proud to be American."
Gauff later pushed back against the idea that athletes should avoid political topics. "I think the biggest thing I hate is when people say stay out of it," she explained. "If you ask me, I'm going to give you my honest answer."
The world No. 4 said her willingness to address controversial issues stems from her own family history. Her grandmother, Yvonne Lee Odom, became the first Black student to attend public school in Delray Beach, Florida in 1961. As such, supporting Back educational initiatives remains central to Gauff's work off the tennis court.
"My grandma is literally an activist," Gauff told reporters. "This is literally my life. I'm OK answering tough questions."
Alexandra Eala captured one of the biggest wins of her career on Tuesday, defeating world No. 8 Jasmine Paolini 6-1, 7-6(5) at the Dubai Championships to mark the rising WTA star's third career Top 10 win.
Eala dominated the opening set, landing 67% of her first serves and winning 86% of those points. Paolini, however, never earned a single break point opportunity in the set.
The second set proved more competitive for Eala, eventually going to a tiebreak. The 20-year-old Philippines native later converted her fifth match point to close out the victory after 1 hour and 40 minutes on the court.
"All the emotions are coming because the tension was so high, especially during that second set," Eala said postmatch.
“[Paolini] is a great opponent, obviously, being Top 10 and a former champion here, so to be able to compete with her at this level is a great achievement for me.
2024 Dubai Championships winner Paolini struggled to find rhythm against Eala's aggressive play, as Eala reached the tournament's Round of 16 for the first time in her career. This win also represents Eala's first Top 10 victory since her historic 2025 Miami Open semifinal run.
What's Next for Alexandra Eala at the 2026 Dubai Championships
The Filipina star continues her WTA Tour campaign this week, advancing to face Romania's Sorana Cîrstea at the Dubai Championships Round of 16 on Thursday at 11:10 AM ET, live on The Tennis Channel.
Forbes named Billie Jean King to this year's Innovator 250 List, recognizing her as one of the country's greatest living innovators at No. 208.
Unveiled February 11th, this list honors transformational business leaders and entrepreneurs. It is part of a year-long Forbes campaign to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States.
Forbes cited King as having "catalyzed women's professional sports" through the founding the WTA. In 1970, King was one of nine players — known as the Original 9 — who signed symbolic $1 contracts to establish the Virginia Slims Tour, the predecessor to the modern WTA.
Three years later, King gathered more than 60 players in London one week before Wimbledon to formally create the WTA. with her peers electing her president.
Few stand as tall in the world of women’s sports as Billie Jean King. The legendary athlete and advocate leveraged her athletic dominance to build a powerful platform for equality, one that she has continued to scale, shattering barriers in sport and society.
— Forbes (@Forbes) February 17, 2026
See where Billie… pic.twitter.com/aQRDKtR5Vn
"Few stand as tall in the world of women's sports as Billie Jean King," Forbes wrote on X.
"The legendary athlete and advocate leveraged her athletic dominance to build a powerful platform for equality, one that she has continued to scale, shattering barriers in sport and society."
Billie Jean King Built Legacy Off and On the Tennis Court
The WTA now spans more than 1,600 players across the tour. In 2025, half of the world's 20 highest-paid women's sports athletes competed on the circuit, reflecting the professional infrastructure King helped build more than five decades ago.
King's influence extends far beyond the tennis court. She currently serves on the advisory board of the PWHL, launched in 2024 with backing from King's BJK Enterprises. She subsequently dropped the puck at the pro hockey league's inaugural game, going on to advocate for rapid expansion.
In 2020, King also joined Angel City FC's ownership group. She continues to play a role in the NWSL team, alongside Natalie Portman, Serena Williams, and other high-profile investors.
The Forbes recognition adds to a long list of King's honors, including a 2024 Congressional Gold Medal.
Czech tennis star Karolina Muchova is through to her third WTA 1000 final, ousting Greece's Maria Sakkari 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 on Friday to advance to the 2026 Qatar Open final in Doha.
Sakkari won five straight games to open the match with a 6-3, 2-0 lead. Muchova, however, stayed aggressive, responding with five straight victories of her own to go up 5-2 in the second set. Sakkari then closed the gap to 5-4, but the world No. 19 held for the set.
From there, Muchova took control, dominating the third set 6-1 before closing it out with an ace.
Sealed her spot in the final with an ace! ✨
— wta (@WTA) February 13, 2026
Karolina Muchova advances to the final in Doha in a three set comeback against Sakkari!#QatarTotalEnergiesOpen pic.twitter.com/9SLJ0a8Ruq
The win marked Muchova's 11th of the year and kept her perfect record against Sakkari intact with five wins and zero losses. It also sets up her first-ever meeting with Canadian rising talent Victoria Mboko, after the 19-year-old beat Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 6-2 to reach her second WTA 1000 final. The world No. 13 enters the final with 13 wins on the year, and will likely break into the WTA's Top 10 next week.
For Muchova, the Doha final marks another step in a strong 2026 season. The 29-year-old won her only WTA singles title at the 2019 Korea Open. A win Saturday would represent her first WTA 1000 title and push her to No. 11 in the WTA rankings.
Meanwhile, Sakkari heads to Dubai with a projected ranking of No. 33 — her best since March 2025.
How to watch Karolina Muchova at the 2026 Qatar Open
The 2026 Qatar Open final between Muchova and Mboko takes place Saturday, live on The Tennis Channel.