Gauff and Pegula are closing in on Rybakina and Swiatek in the WTA rankings.

The 2026 Dubai Championship is nearing its end, but the consequences of this tournament are already being felt in the WTA rankings. With withdrawals and retirements marking the event, the big question now is: how will the WTA rankings be affected? The conclusion of the tournament, scheduled for this Saturday, will see Jessica Pegula face Elina Svitolina at the prestigious Aviation Club Tennis Centre.

The WTA rankings at the start of the tournament on February 16 featured Aryna Sabalenka at the top, followed by Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina. However, what followed in the past weeks has been a rollercoaster of emotions for the players.

Aryna Sabalenka, the world number one, and Iga Swiatek, her main rival, both withdrew before the start of the championship. Sabalenka will remain with 10,870 points, as the points earned in the third round of Dubai last year will not count towards her ranking. On the other hand, Swiatek will lose the 150 points accumulated by reaching the quarter-finals in 2025, reducing her total to 7,653.

Elena Rybakina’s situation presented an opportunity to close the gap to the two leaders, but her withdrawal in the third round will result in a loss of 270 points, dropping her to 7,253. The impact of this decision is significant, especially in a competition where every point counts.

Coco Gauff, the young prodigy from the United States, maintains her fourth position, but her impressive run to the semi-finals increased her total points by 380, bringing it to 6,803. All eyes are now on the final results, which could have important repercussions on the rankings.

With the rankings update scheduled for next week, the numbers are revealing. Jessica Pegula, who reached the final, increased her point total by 530, bringing her total to 6,418. If she wins the match against Svitolina, she could reach 6,768 points, dangerously closing in on Gauff.

Amanda Anisimova, who also performed notably, will remain in sixth place, rising to 6,053 points. However, the spotlight is on Mirra Andreeva, who fell to eighth place after being eliminated in the quarter-finals, losing 785 points.

Jasmine Paolini, despite losing in the first round, climbed to seventh place, while Elina Svitolina, by reaching the final, has already increased her points tally by 585 to 3,845. If she wins the title, Svitolina will jump to 4,195 points, surpassing Paolini and Andreeva.

Regarding other players outside the top 10, Iva Jovic will see her ranking rise to 18th after reaching the round of 16 in Dubai. Other names such as Wang Xinyu and Alex Eala are also on track for new personal bests, with Eala jumping 15 places to 32nd.

Unfortunately, not everyone is on the rise. Sofia Kenin dropped 14 positions to 44th, while Paula Badosa, a former world number two, plummeted to 85th after a second-round exit.

Thus, the Dubai Championships not only provided moments of great excitement on the courts but also shaped the future of the players in the WTA, making the coming weeks crucial for all involved. What follows in the rankings will undoubtedly be a hot topic as the season progresses.