Zhang Shuai eliminated in qualifiers! Zheng Qinwen stands as the sole female singles contender from China in Dubai this year.

On Valentine's Day, the 2026 WTA1000 Doha tournament is about to reach the women's singles final. The 10th seed Mboko, after defeating two top-ten players including Rybakina, overcame last year's runner-up Ostapenko in yesterday’s semifinal, advancing to her second career final at a 1000-level event.

Mboko’s opponent in the final is Czech veteran Muchova, who came from behind to beat Greek player Sakari in the other semifinal, marking her fifth consecutive win over Sakari. This is Muchova’s third time reaching a final at this level and her seventh career tour final, as she aims for her first 1000-level title.

Meanwhile, the WTA1000 Dubai qualifying rounds have begun. Zhang Shuai, the last Chinese female player in the qualifiers, faced tough luck by drawing the top seed Baptiste in the first round. Baptiste, who reached the semifinals in Abu Dhabi this year, has been in excellent form.

Ultimately, Zhang Shuai lost in straight sets 4-6, 4-6, exiting the Dubai qualifiers in the first round. She earned 2 ranking points and $5,800 in prize money, and currently holds the world ranking of 85.

With Zhang Shuai’s early exit in the qualifiers, Zheng Qinwen is now the only Chinese female player competing in the main singles draw in Dubai this year. Zheng made her comeback in Doha, defeating strong American players Kenin and Parks consecutively, but was stopped in the third round by the new Australian Open champion Rybakina.

In a post-match interview, Zheng Qinwen said that despite continuous play, her elbow showed no abnormal signs, which is a positive development. Moving on to Dubai, she hopes for a better draw. Notably, top seeds Sabalenka and Swiatek both withdrew from this tournament yesterday, creating opportunities for other players to achieve better results.

“It is very unfortunate that I have to withdraw from the Dubai tournament. I have a special connection with this event, the fans, and the city. Sadly, my physical condition has not fully recovered yet. Of course, I look forward to returning to Dubai next year and wish this tournament great success.”

Thus, after reaching the Australian Open final this year and finishing runner-up, Sabalenka has now consecutively withdrawn from both the Doha and Dubai high-level tournaments.

Although Zheng Qinwen is the only Chinese female singles player in the draw, several Chinese players are competing in the Dubai women’s doubles. Zhang Shuai, partnering with Mertens as the second seed, leads the bottom half with a first-round bye. Additionally, Jiang Xinyu continues her partnership with Eikeri, facing Bozkova/Zeng Limi in the first round, while Xu Yifan teams up with Yang Zhaoxuan to play against the experienced duo Stosur/Perez in their opening match.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Barbie)