Paula Badosa and Garbiñe Muguruza were due to make their WTA 500 debuts in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, but both Spaniards pulled out at the last minute.
Paula Badosa and Garbiñe Muguruza have withdrawn from WTA Abu Dhabi
Badosa (21st WTA), who was ranked 2nd in the world less than a year ago, ended her career due to a viral infection. She was going to meet the Russian Lyudmila Samsonova (19 WTA, favorite 8), but American Claire Liu (56 WTA) will take her place.
Muguruza (83 WTA), a former world number one and two-time Grand Slam winner, withdrew for personal reasons and will be replaced by Isalin Bonaventura (96 WTA). The Belgian will play in the first round against the Czech Karolina Pliskova (20 WTA).
Isalyn Bonaventura and Claire Liu are officially back in the game on #MubadalaAbuDhabiOpen!
Replacing Badosa, who is out due to a viral illness, and Muguruza, who is out for personal reasons.@ZayedSportsCity #WTA500 #in Abu Dhabi @WTA @AbuDhabiSC pic.twitter.com/2u7YO7efMZ
— Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open (@MubadalaADOpen) February 7, 2023
The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open takes place from February 6 to 12 on hard, is in the WTA 500 category, has a total prize money of $780,637, and the main favorite is Daria Kasatkina.
Abu Dhabi: Daria Kasaktina (1), Belinda Bencic (2), Olena Rybakina (3), Veronika Kudermetova (4), Yelena Ostapenko (5), Beatrice Haddad Maya (6), Anette Kontaveit (7) and Lyudmila Samsonova ( 8).
Source: Hot News
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