The withdrawal of Victoria Mboko from the WTA 500 Abu Dhabi Open has been confirmed just days before the main draw gets underway on Monday, February 2. The Canadian teenager, seeded third for the event, has opted for a late change of plans, skipping Abu Dhabi entirely and travelling straight to Doha to prepare for the first WTA 1000 tournament of the season.
Mboko’s absence will be felt at the opening WTA 500 event of the Middle East swing, where she had been viewed as one of the leading contenders. Her decision follows a demanding start to the season and reflects a strategic shift toward the higher-stakes events to come in Qatar and Dubai.
Momentum from Melbourne, eyes on Doha
Mboko arrives in the Middle East with significant momentum after producing the best Grand Slam result of her young career at the Australian Open. The 19-year-old reached the fourth round in Melbourne, breaking into the second week of a major for the first time before falling in straight sets to world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka, who went on to finish runner-up.
That run capped an impressive opening stretch to 2026. Mboko won seven of her first eight matches of the season, including a run to the final of the Adelaide International, where she was narrowly beaten by Mirra Andreeva. Her consistency and rapid development have placed her firmly among the sport’s rising elite.
Originally expected to headline the Abu Dhabi field, Mboko instead chose to prioritise preparation for the Qatar Open in Doha, the first WTA 1000 event of the year, followed by the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships one week later.
The ranking implications are significant. In the upcoming update, Mboko is projected to climb to world No.13, another career high. With no points to defend during the Middle East swing, she has a realistic opportunity to push toward the Top 10 with a deep run in Doha or Dubai.
Zheng Qinwen also missing from Abu Dhabi field
Mboko is not the only notable absence from Abu Dhabi. Zheng Qinwen, the reigning Olympic champion and former world No.4, will also not compete in the tournament despite initially appearing on the entry list.
Zheng had been expected to resume competition after a prolonged absence, but her return has been postponed once again. The 23-year-old has played just one match in the past seven months, last competing at the China Open in October 2025, where she retired in the second round following a recurrence of an injury that required surgery earlier in the year.
Although Zheng travelled to Abu Dhabi and was seen practising during the week, she has been removed from the main draw without an official explanation. Her comeback is now tentatively expected at the Qatar Open, where she remains entered.
Abu Dhabi field reshaped
Despite the high-profile withdrawals, the Abu Dhabi Open still boasts a strong lineup. Defending champion Belinda Bencic leads the field as the top seed, with seven Top-25 players in action, including Ekaterina Alexandrova, Clara Tauson, Emma Navarro, and Liudmila Samsonova.
Still, the absence of both Mboko and Zheng alters the competitive landscape, opening the door for other contenders as the Middle East swing gets underway.
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