Eight of the world’s top 10 WTA players ready for Dubai Duty Free Tennis starting Monday

DUBAI: An exciting week of tennis awaits fans in Dubai with eight of the world’s top-10 players of the WTA tour ready to do battle at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis stadium starting Monday.

Here are some of the main storylines to look out for this week in the emirate.

Loaded draw features blockbuster first rounds

In one of the most stacked WTA draws in tournament history, four former Dubai champions and eight Grand Slam winners will be competing at the Aviation Club this year.

With Ashleigh Barty and Karolina Pliskova being the only two top-10 players missing out on the action in Dubai, world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka headlines a stellar field.

Such is the strength and depth of the women’s draw this year that defending champion and No. 4 seed Garbine Muguruza will be facing world No. 11 and recent Australian Open runner-up Danielle Collins in the first round.

In another mouth-watering opening clash, two Grand Slam champions will square off in the form of Sofia Kenin and Jelena Ostapenko.

Former French Open winner Iga Swiatek, the No. 6 seed, will begin her campaign against world No. 21 Daria Kasatkina, who was a finalist in Dubai in 2018.

Two top-20 Americans, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, will meet in another exciting first round while 2013 Dubai champion Petra Kvitova will open against reigning Canadian Open champion Camila Giorgi.

Tough path for the reigning champ

If Muguruza plans on defending her Dubai title this week, she’ll have to do it the hard way. Should the Spanish two-time Grand Slam winner move past Collins in the first round, she could get former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka next, with an in-form Anett Kontaveit possibly waiting for her in the quarter-finals.

World No. 3 Barbora Krejcikova, who lost