The 2024 season is off to a flying start! The Australian Open marked the end of the first month, but there is still a lot of tennis to look forward to. February is packed to the brim with women’s tennis events, and the stars of the WTA, like Iga Swiatek and others, are raring to get going.
There will be various WTA tournaments held during the month of February. The tournaments range from WTA 125 to WTA 1000, as the players gear up to put their best foot forward. Some of the tournaments have coinciding dates, and it is up to the players’ discretion which tournament they will play. Moreover, players will get sufficient time between events.
Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open: WTA 500 (5–11 February)
Abu Dhabi is the first stop on the women’s tour in February. It is a WTA 500 tournament, only in its third edition, and will be played on outdoor hard courts. In the previous edition, Belinda Bencic defeated Liudmila Samsonova. Abu Dhabi guarantees the best tennis action this year as well, with an incredible lineup to boot.
- Elena Rybakina is the top seed in the tournament; she crashed out in the second round of the Australian Open.
- Ons Jabeur is seeded second and will try to play better than she did in Melbourne.
- Maria Sakkari is the third seed.
- Barbora Krejikova is seeded fourth in the tournament.
On another positive note, former US Open champion Emma Raducanu will also be competing. The young Brit got a wildcard for the tournament and is expected to continue her comeback journey.
Emma has not had the best of times, grappling with multiple injuries and subsequent surgeries. The youngster is still easing her way into the hectic schedule of the tour. She last played at the Australian Open, and even though she crashed out early, she showed glimpses of her brilliance.
Enter Main Draw Doubles wild card #OnSaka 🙌
For the first time ever @NaomiOsaka and @Ons_Jabeur are teaming up! They will compete in the doubles tournament at the #MubadalaAbuDhabiOpen.#Mubadala #InAbuDhabi #AbuDhabiSC #OnsJabeur #NaomiOsaka #WTA pic.twitter.com/lgkeWJuRxa
— Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open (@MubadalaADOpen) January 29, 2024
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka will also play as a wildcard at the tournament. She is also set to team up with Jabeur in doubles.
Transylvania Open: WTA 250 (5-11 February)
The Transylvania Open is an indoor hard-court tournament set to be played between February 5 and 11. It is only in its fourth year, and a lot of faces from the Australian Open will make an appearance this year.
Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands is the top seed at the tournament, followed by Tatjana Maria. Anna Blinkova, who knocked out Rybakina in the second round in Melbourne, will also be competing.
L&T Mumbai Open: WTA 125 (5-11 February)
This WTA 125 tournament will resume after six years. The qualifying rounds will begin on February 3, and the main draw begins on February 5. In 2017, current world number 2 Aryna Sabalenka won the title.
Qatar TotalEnergies Open: WTA 1000 (12–17 February)
The Qatar Open in Doha marks the first WTA 1000 tournament of the season and will be played on outdoor hard courts. It is in its 22nd edition this year, with an incredible lineup.
The Australian Open jostled the WTA rankings, and everyone in the top 10 will compete. It is set to be another grand event as the best in the business battle it out for the title.
Iga Swiatek, the word number one, will play as the defending champion this year. The Pole took on American star Jessica Pegula in the final and defeated her in straight sets. Swiatek only lost five games en route to the final, the fewest recorded, thus breaking Chris Evert’s record.
Qatar TotalEnergies Open 2023 has a champion – @iga_swiatek 🇵🇱 after beating @JLPegula, Iga once again lifted a Falcon Trophy 🏆 presented by H.E. Nasser Al Khaleifi, the president of QTF, QTEO Tournament Director Saad Al Mohannadi & honorable guests from WTA & TotalEnergies! pic.twitter.com/PePzD5AYY6
— Qatar Tennis Federation (@QatarTennis) February 18, 2023
- Iga Swiatek is the top seed and the defending champion this year.
- Aryna Sabalenka will take to the courts as the Australian Open champion and is the second seed in Doha. She won the title in 2020.
- Coco Gauff is seeded third. She won her first WTA 1000 title last year and will try to add another.
- Jessica Pegula is the fourth seed. Like her compatriot Gauff, she will try to add another WTA 1000 title to her name.
- Elena Rybakina is seeded fourth and will try to make a turnaround after her disastrous performance Down Under.
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship: WTA 1000 (18–24 February)
February will see two WTA 1000 tournaments, with the second one being played in Dubai this month. Dubai will also host the ATP 500 tournament, among other tournaments, in February.
On the WTA tour, the event alternates between being a WTA 1000 event and a WTA 500 event. This year, it will be a WTA 1000 tournament. Even though the two WTA 1000 tournaments will be held in successive weeks, most of the top 10 players will compete.
We are thrilled to unveil our star-studded line-up for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships next month, featuring the top 10 @WTA players! 🔥
Get ready for an electrifying week of action 🔜 🎾💫#LinkInBio for tickets 🎟️ #DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/hy5jvdy1om
— Dubai Tennis Champs (@DDFTennis) January 26, 2024
Barbora Krejikova won the tournament in 2023 and will take to the courts as the defending champion. She defeated Iga Swiatek and will hope for a similar result this time as well.
San Diego Open: WTA 500 (February 26–March 3)
The San Diego Open is a prestigious WTA 500 event held at the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego, California. Since its inception, the tournament has drawn the best of the tennis world, including the top stars.
The cream of the tennis world will play the San Diego Open in a bid to prepare for Indian Wells a week later. Krejikova defeated Sofia Kenin 6–4, 2–6, 6–4 to claim the title. Her achievement is even more impressive because she made it to the finals as a wildcard and then won it. She will once again take to the courts as the defending champion.