Elina Svitolina ended Coco Gauff’s bid for an all-American final at the Dubai Tennis Championships, surviving a grueling three-hour battle 6-4 6-7(13-15) 6-4. The Ukrainian veteran squandered four match points in the second-set tiebreak but regrouped to clinch the decider, setting a Saturday final against Jessica Pegula.

Pegula earned her spot earlier, overcoming a disastrous start to beat fellow American Amanda Anisimova 1-6 6-4 6-3. Svitolina’s victory marks another significant result for the former top-10 player, demonstrating her resilience on big points after a difficult second-set collapse. This sets a intriguing clash of styles for the title.

In Qatar, world number one Carlos Alcaraz continued his perfect 2026 campaign with a 7-6(7-3) 6-4 win over Andrey Rublev. The 22-year-old Spaniard has now won all 11 matches he’s played this year, following his Australian Open triumph that made him the youngest man to achieve a career Grand Slam. He awaits either Jakub Mensik or Arthur Fils in the final.

Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams received a wildcard for the upcoming Indian Wells tournament. The 45-year-old will compete in both singles and doubles, calling the return to California “great.” Her participation adds a legendary presence to the event, despite her limited schedule in recent years.