Amanda Anisimova won the Qatar TotalEnergies Open singles title last year, defeating Jelena Ostapenko.
Doha: The Qatar TotalEnergies Open, the season’s first WTA 1000 event, begins this weekend at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, with a star-studded field set to compete. The qualifying rounds will be held today, featuring 16 encounters which will eventually fill eight spots in the main draw.
With Poland’s Iga Swiatek headlining the draw as the top seed, and the recently crowned Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina looking to continue her brilliant form, the packed line-up includes 15 of world’s top 20 players who will be vying for honours in Qatar.
Swiatek arrives in Doha as the tournament’s most successful player in recent history, having captured three consecutive titles between 2022 and 2024. The former world number one will be aiming to add to her success in Doha to further cement her dominance at the famed venue.
Defending champion Amanda Anisimova also returns, fresh from an outstanding 2025 season that has lifted her to a career-high world number four ranking. The American claimed last year’s Doha crown with a straight-sets victory over Jelena Ostapenko, unseeded this time for the Qatar event.
Kazakh Rybakina, now ranked world number three, was beaten by Swiatek in Doha last year, but will be aiming to take her revenge this time.
World No 5 Coco Gauff is also set to be in action.
Speaking to Qatar Tennis Association’s social media, Gauff said she is excited to be back.
“I’m super excited to be back at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open. I hope to see you all there,” the 21-year-old American said in a video message.
Fellow top-10 stars Mirra Andreeva, Jasmine Paolini, Belinda Bencic and Elina Svitolina will also be in action,
Former champion Elise Mertens adds further experience to the line-up which also includes Victoria Mboko and Karolina Muchova who are among the 16 seeded players at the event, while British World No.30 Emma Raducanu is among the high-profile unseeded players.
The singles qualifiers swing into Action today, featuring a strong mix of established contenders and rising talents battling for places in the main draw.
Among the highlights today, Anastasia Zakharova faces Julia Grabher, Beatriz Haddad Maia takes on home sensation Mubaraka Al Naemi and Frenchwoman Varvara Gracheva meeting Russian Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
The schedule continues through the afternoon with notable clashes such as Renata Zarazua against Kimberly Birrell, Moyuka Uchijima taking on Rebecca Sramkova and Magdalena Frech facing Berfu Cengiz. Meanwhile, second seed Elisabetta Cocciaretto meets Ekaterine Gorgodze, setting the stage for an action filled day ahead of the tournament which is now in its 24th edition.
The high profile WTA tournament will be followed by the 2026 Qatar ExxonMobil Open, set to take place from February 16 to 21.
