Aryna Sabalenka's 2025 seemed to have started in the best way, having reached the final at the 2025 Australian Open. The Belarusian player was ready to lift another trophy in one of her favorite tournaments,

None of the WTA’s top three players have won a title this year. After recent struggles and upsets at the Australian Open, Dubai and Qatar Open, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka suffered a shock loss in her first post-Australian Open match as the Belarusian is out of the WTA 1000 tournament in Doha. After a first-round bye, the top seed met Ekaterina Alexandrova in her opener at the Qatar Open.

She returned to action about three weeks after that disappointment, but it was clear to everyone that the repercussions of the AO final were still present in her mind. It is no coincidence that Aryna was prematurely eliminated in two very prestigious tournaments such as Doha and Dubai.

Iga Swiatek warns the WTA about the toll of a packed schedule, as she, Coco Gauff, and Aryna Sabalenka face unexpected struggles. Discover the challenges reshaping women’s tennis.

In the Round of 32 at the WTA Dubai, UAE on Tuesday, Veronika Kudermetova (ranked No. 50) faces Aryna Sabalenka (No. 1).In her most recent competition, Sabalenka lost to Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3,

No. 4 seed Jasmine Paolini of Italy defeated France's Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-4, and No. 5 seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan topped Peyton Stearns 6-2, 6-4 to move to the Round of 16 but other seeds had a rough time in early play Tuesday.

Sabalenka is far from the only top-ranked player to struggle during the Middle East swing of the WTA schedule. Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, and Qinwen Zheng have all suffered early exits in Doha and Dubai.

The Belarusian goes 1,091 points ahead of the second-ranked Iga Swiatek of Poland. Belarus’ Victoria Azarenka lost two spots to place 34th. Aliaksandra Sasnovich went up one position to 113th.

The world No. 1 has won just one of the three matches she contested during this Middle East swing. Read more at straitstimes.com.

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka made a surprising schedule change before the Indian Wells BNP Paribas Open beginning March 2. Sabalenka’s 2025 season would be described as a disappointment by her lofty standards. She failed to complete the three-peat at the Australian Open and lost in the early rounds at Doha (Round of 32) and Dubai (Round of 16).

After a week of upsets in Doha, the top seeds are looking to redeem themselves at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.