Rybakina retires, lucky loser Ruzic advances to Dubai semi-finals – Tennis Now
By Richard Pagliaro Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Photo credit: Zhang Lintao/Getty
The top players in the Dubai draw continue to fall, with lucky losers emerging as big winners.
lucky loser Antonia Ruzik leading the top seed Elena Rybakina 5-7, 6-4, 1-0, the Australian Open champion retired due to an apparent nausea-related illness.
“This is the first time I’ve been a lucky loser and you’ve got to take that second chance and I’m going to take it,” Ruzic said. “That’s certainly not the way I wanted to win. I hope Elena feels better.”
Ruzic, ranked 67th in the world, defeated a Grand Slam champion for the second time in the Dubai draw after beating 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 in the first round.
The 23-year-old Ruzic will compete for a semifinal spot against former Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic or AO semifinalist Elina Svitolina.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Rybakina’s retirement makes her the latest star to withdraw from the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships draw.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 Iga Swiatek withdrew before the start of the match. Doha champion Karolina Muchova, Doha finalist Victoria Mboko, Doha semi-finalist Maria Sakkari and Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen also all withdrew from Dubai.
