WUHAN, China: World No.5 Simona Halep downed Madison Keys in the quarterfinals of the Wuhan Open Thursday to book her place in the elite season-end WTA Final for the third consecutive year.
Big serving Keys took an early lead in the first set, breaking the Romanian’s serve twice, but was unable to maintain the momentum as Halep equalled and then took the set 6-4.
Halep — who turned 25 this week — dropped just two games to take the second set and confirm her place in the eight-player season finale in Singapore.
Only world No.1 Angelique Kerber and Serena Williams have so far qualified for the highly lucrative tournament, and the field remains wide open for the remaining five spots.
“It’s amazing to be qualified again for Singapore three years in a row. It’s a good thing. It gives me confidence,” Halep told reporters after the quarterfinal match.
In a similar style to Kerber, Halep plays off the strength of big hitters like Williams and Keys, who is often cast as the American veteran’s successor.
“She can hit very strong. She can miss some easy balls,” the Romanian said of her quarterfinal opponent.
“I don’t (have) big shots, but I have speed on the court... I like to take the ball fast. So when I do that, I think I can play at the highest level,” she added.
With Williams having taken only one Grand Slam title this year and slipped from her long-held No.1 spot in the rankings, Halep said earlier this week that she feels she now has a shot at the top.
“Every Grand Slam was another winner, Kerber two times this year. I feel now (it) is more open. I feel that I have (a) bigger chance,” said the Romanian, who ended last season as world No.2 but is yet to win a Slam.
Halep will meet two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the semifinals after she ended a strong run by Briton Johanna Konta in straight sets.
Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova squashed Agnieszka Radwanska’s hopes of qualifying for Singapore this week when she came from a set down to set up a semifinal meet with either Dominika Cibulkova or Barbora Strycova.
Kyrgios falls
Second seed and world number 15 Nick Kyrgios went down at the Chengdu Open Thursday, as South African Kevin Anderson saved two match points in an upset 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-2.
The 203 cm (6’8“) 30-year-old South African smashed 24 aces in the three-set duel, battling back from an early loss to win a place in the quarterfinals against sixth seed Viktor Troicki.
Anderson has a 2-1 record in head-to-head play against the Serbian, who wore down an exhausted Marcos Baghdatis 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, dispatching the Cypriot to earn his sixth trip to the ATP World Tour quarterfinals of the season.
Former Australian Open finalist Baghdatis had fought an epic three-hour contest with Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta the day before.
Fifth seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas took two-and-a-half hours to overcome 33-year-old Yen-Hsun Lu of Taiwan, who took him to three sets, 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-4.
Lu had more aces than the Spaniard and a higher percentage of break points saved, but Ramos-Vinolas edged him on the percentage of second-serve points won (53 percent).
Berdych moves up
Top seed and world No. 9 Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic battled Mikhail Kukushkin to prevail 7-6(7), 7-6(4) and advance at the Shenzhen Open Thursday.
The 31-year-old Czech blasted 16 aces to overpower his Kazakh opponent in two sets and secure his quarterfinal berth.
Fourth-seed Bernard Tomic of Australia won a two-hour duel with American qualifier Ryan Harrison, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.
The 23-year-old right hander hit only 10 aces to Harrison’s 20, but held off the American’s challenge, saving three break points to book a clash with Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci in the quarter finals.
It was their second head-to-head clash in an ATP competition, with Tomic winning their last meeting in 2012.
For his part the 28-year-old Bellucci notched a two-set victory over Italy’s Thomas Fabbiano, knocking down 13 aces to the Italian’s five, to advance to the quarterfinals.
'Confident' Halep books place in WTA finals
'Confident' Halep books place in WTA finals
World’s top 20 confirmed for Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships
- Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and defending champion Mirra Andreeva headline the 26th premier women’s tournament
- WTA 1000 event runs from Feb. 15-21, followed by the 34th ATP 500 tournament from Feb. 23-28
DUBAI: The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships returns in 2026 with one of the strongest WTA 1000 line-ups in its history, featuring all of the world’s top 20 players for the Women’s Week from Feb. 15-21.
The 2026 field features a complete set of top-ranked stars, including World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, World No. 2 Iga Swiatek, World No. 3 Coco Gauff, and World No. 4 Amanda Anisimova, alongside Elena Rybakina (No. 5), Jessica Pegula (No. 6), Jasmine Paolini (No. 7), 2025 champion Mirra Andreeva (No. 8), Madison Keys (No. 9) and Belinda Bencic (No. 10).
Leading the charge is Sabalenka, who returns to Dubai after a standout 2025 season highlighted by her US Open triumph, where the Belarusian claimed her fourth career Grand Slam title and secured a second consecutive win in New York. Reinforcing her position at the top of the women’s game, Sabalenka has started the 2026 season in fine form by retaining her title at the Brisbane International without dropping a set.
Six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek also returns following another exceptional season in which the Polish star captured the 2025 Wimbledon title and reached multiple WTA 1000 finals, finishing the year with one of the highest win percentages on tour.
Joining them is Gauff, who enjoyed a defining 2025 campaign with her French Open victory, the second Grand Slam title of her career and first on clay. The American 21-year-old also added a Masters 1000 trophy in Cincinnati and reached the semi-finals of both the Australian Open and US Open grand slams, closing the year inside the top three for the first time.
Defending champion Andreeva had a breakthrough season in 2025, which saw her secure a historic triumph in Dubai, making her the youngest WTA 1000 champion in history. The 18-year-old Russian followed that success with two Grand Slam quarter-finals and a rapid rise into the world’s top 15. She arrives in Dubai looking to defend the title that launched her onto the global stage.
“We are delighted to welcome all of the top 20 women’s players once again,” said Ramesh Cidambi, managing director of Dubai Duty Free and chairman of the organising committee. “The depth of talent committed for 2026 reflects the status of this event on the global tennis calendar. Dubai has become an essential stop for the world’s best players, and we look forward to another exceptional week of world-class tennis.”
The line-up also includes talents such as World No. 12 and two-time Dubai champion Elina Svitolina, as well as Canada’s World No. 17 Victoria Mboko, whose breakthrough performances propelled her into the world’s top 20 for the first time. Their presence adds further depth to a roster that cements Dubai’s position as one of the most competitive stops on the WTA calendar.
Salah Tahlak, tournament director and deputy managing director of Dubai Duty Free, said of the line-up: “Women’s tennis continues to set new standards for competitiveness and quality. With the top 20 players confirmed, spectators can expect compelling matches from the opening day. Each year our WTA event delivers incredible moments, and 2026 promises to be no different.”
The 2026 Championships will run back-to-back once again, with the women’s WTA 1000 event from Feb. 15-21 and the men’s ATP 500 tournament from Feb. 23-28.
