Aryna Sabalenka puts Dubai tournament director on notice for disparaging comments

Indian Wells champion Aryna Sabalenka is getting something off of her chest that has apparently been bothering her for a few weeks.

Sabalenka withdrew from February’s Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships with a right thigh injury. In addition to Iga Swiatek, Naomi Osaka, and Madison Keys, 20 WTA players who withdrew or retired from matches during the tournament.

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Salah Tahlak, the Dubai tournament director, called for stronger punishments for players withdrawing from tournaments, beyond fines. He questioned the severity of Sabalenka’s injury after consulting with the tournament physician who said it was not significant enough to justify the withdrawal.

MORE: Daniil Medvedev experiences more travel issues

The Dubai tournament is a WTA-1000 level event which awards 1,000 ranking points to the champion (Jessica Pegula in 2026). Only Grand Slams and the WTA Finals award more ranking points.

What Aryna Sabalenka said

Sabalenka called Tahlak’s comments “ridiculous.” She said it was sad that the tournament director and physician were not protecting the players’ interests.

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She is not sure if she will play the tournament again.

MORE: Former WTA World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki shares viral videos of kids’ tennis skills

Yet another example of tennis’s too crowded calendar

This is the latest example that the tennis calendar is too full. Players navigate an 11-month season with a lot of travel and ball, surface, and climate changes.

Iga Swiatek has been talking about the too-full schedule for quite some time. She said that she will consider skipping tournaments regardless of the penalty to protect her physical and mental health. Carlos Alcaraz has made similar comments.

Players have cited too much tennis as causing them injuries and shortening their careers. Others have said that as independent contractors, each player can choose which events he or she wants to play in and take the penalty as necessary.

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Jessica Pegula is chairing the newly formed WTA Architecture Council looking into calendar reform. After the initial meeting, she admitted that it is a complex issue with no clear resolution.

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