2026 WTA News & Gossip

[MargaretMcAleer]

With WTA1000 Doha main draw starts on Sunday
Top 40 players who are out,
No 1 Sabalenka
No 6 Pegula
No 9 Bencic
No 14 Osaka
No 15 Keys
No 20 Jovic
No 23 Kostyuk
No 31 Vondrousova
No 34 Boisson
No 38 Kudermetova
No 49 Lys

AO champion Rybakina and Zheng ( returning) still in for now

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

This is not an early April Fools Joke!
Emma Raducanu reaches her first final since the 2021 USO!, WTA250 Transylvania Open, Romania
Emma will return to the Top 25 on Monday

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

WTA Finals 7th February,
Cluj
Raducanu vs Cirstea

Ostrava
Boutler vs Korpatsch

Abu Dhabi
Alexandrova vs Bejlek

 

[britbox]

With WTA1000 Doha main draw starts on Sunday
Top 40 players who are out,
No 1 Sabalenka
No 6 Pegula
No 9 Bencic
No 14 Osaka
No 15 Keys
No 20 Jovic
No 23 Kostyuk
No 31 Vondrousova
No 34 Boisson
No 38 Kudermetova
No 49 Lys

AO champion Rybakina and Zheng ( returning) still in for now

I think they'll have to look at having this tournament so close to the AO. Players need a rest.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I think they'll have to look at having this tournament so close to the AO. Players need a rest.

Agree you cant expect players to back up after 1 week after the AO, and it is a WTA1000 event

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

35 yo Sorana Cirstea, gets a very special moment in her last season on tour, winning her home tournament in Cluj
Defeated Emma Raducanu in the final 60 62

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

BTW,
Emma Raducanu says she will stay with Alexis Canter, who was with her in the tournament in Romania, ( this is Emma's 10th coach),
Lets see how long Canter lasts with Emma, as her track record for coaches is a poor one.
Emma will be a Top 25 player on Monday first time since 2022

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

2 more withdrawals for WTA1000 Doha
Babora Krejcikova left knee injury
Paula Badosa right hip injury

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Boulter d Korpatsch 57 62 61 in the final at Ostrava
Katie wins her first title since 2024
4th career title!
Katie will be back in the Top 100, maybe her new coaching arrangement, Michael Joyce is working now for Katie

 

[britbox]

35 yo Sorana Cirstea, gets a very special moment in her last season on tour, winning her home tournament in Cluj
Defeated Emma Raducanu in the final 60 62

Here are the video highlights from the Cluj-Napoca Final

 

[britbox]

Cirstea's speech is in Romanian but here is the English Transcript Summary (courtesy of Leo AI):

Key Points:

• Gratitude to Simona Halep: The speaker thanks Simona for the award, calling it a dream come true to receive the trophy from her
• Thanks to the crowd: Expresses that the audience gave her the most beautiful week of her life with their incredible support, creating unforgettable memories despite 20 years as a professional tennis player
• Message to opponent Emma: Congratulates her on a wonderful week and hopes she'll return to Cluj to win the trophy someday
• Team appreciation: Thanks her coaching team, noting she's proud to retire with a 100% Romanian team at the end of the year
• Family dedication: Thanks her physiotherapist Andrei, her parents for their sacrifices, and dedicates the title to them; also thanks her brother
• Special mentions: Thanks her friend who believed in her when she didn't believe in herself, and Ion Țiriac for years of support
• Tournament praise: Calls it the best 250-level tournament in the world, praising tournament director Patrick and the 1000+ people involved (including ball kids and behind-the-scenes staff)
• Retirement announcement: Confirms this is her final year, retiring in 8 months as a happy person thanks to this week's experience

 

[britbox]

Emma Raducanu Finalist Speech:



Transcript Summary (courtesy of Leo AI):

• Thanks and acknowledgments - Emma thanked ball kids, umpires, sponsors, organisers (Patrick, Kayla), and the public for their support
• Apology for performance - Apologised for not bringing their best performance that day
• Congratulations to opponent - Congratulated Sarah on an incredible week and great tennis, suggesting she should end on a high if it's her last tournament
• Personal milestone - This was the her first final in a few years, making it especially meaningful
• Gratitude to support team - Thanked Alexis and people back home for supporting them through recent difficult years
• Special significance of location - Expressed happiness that this achievement happened in Cluj
• Final words - Ended with words of encouragement in what appears to be Romanian ("multime" - likely "mulțumesc" meaning "thank you")

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Emma Raducanu Finalist Speech:



Transcript Summary (courtesy of Leo AI):

• Thanks and acknowledgments - Emma thanked ball kids, umpires, sponsors, organisers (Patrick, Kayla), and the public for their support
• Apology for performance - Apologised for not bringing their best performance that day
• Congratulations to opponent - Congratulated Sarah on an incredible week and great tennis, suggesting she should end on a high if it's her last tournament
• Personal milestone - This was the her first final in a few years, making it especially meaningful
• Gratitude to support team - Thanked Alexis and people back home for supporting them through recent difficult years
• Special significance of location - Expressed happiness that this achievement happened in Cluj
• Final words - Ended with words of encouragement in what appears to be Romanian ("multime" - likely "mulțumesc" meaning "thank you")

Quite frankly I am Over Raducanu and her constant excuses, she didnt have much energy left for the final, this was the first final she appeared in since she won the USO in 2021? she cant keep a coach since turning professional, got rid of Roig after the AO when she went out early and blamed him? she is now onto her 10th coach, Emma plays a limited tour, she needs match practice to get fit, I suggest she plays WTA 125 or WTA250 for starters, having training blocks do not get you 'match fit'!

 

[kskate2]

I don't think top 25 can play challenger level. She probably has to move to 250

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I don't think top 25 can play challenger level. She probably has to move to 250

Yep, point taken they cant play a WTA125 level, it is just " I am soo over her excuses" she cant expect to get match fit and play a limited tour.

 

[kskate2]

Yep, point taken they cant play a WTA125 level, it is just " I am soo over her excuses" she cant expect to get match fit and play a limited tour.

For sure. The time to play the challengers was when the ranking was in the toilet. Now that it's high enough to get her seeded, she has to play more, period. She cannot be a part-time tennis player and expect to play well. It's entirely possible, part of these injuries, may be due to the body not adjusting to life on the tour.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

WTA Top Ten, Monday February 9th

Bencic out of the Top Ten ( 10)
In Alexandrova 3200 ( +1)

WTA 100 Top Movers,

23 Raducanu (+5)
39 Bejlek ( +63 Career high)
39. Baptiste ( +17 Career high)
40. Eala ( +5 Career high)
50 Kartal ( +11)
71. Oliynkova ( +20 Career high)
81 Waltert ( +13 Career high)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Withdrawals WTA1000 Dubai
Keys
Osaka
Kudermetova
Boisson
Lys
Kostyuk

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Dubai tournament reveals major 2 phase expansion plan - temporay 2000 - seat court 1 to be unveiled next week, while Centre Court ( additional seats ) and Village redevelopment will be in time for 2027 edition

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

No 1 Sabalenka and No 2 Swiatek have both just withdrawn from WTA1000 Dubai
Swiatek citing change of schedule and Sabalenka citing not feeling 100% that adds to a rather long list of fellow players that have also withdrawn