Elena Rybakina withdrew early in the third set against Antonia Ruzic at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, handing the lucky loser a place in her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal. The reigning Australian Open champion called for the trainer after Ruzic broke her serve to open the third set. Following a consultation, where Rybakina said she was experiencing nausea, the top seed opted not to continue further. A GI illness was listed as the official reason for Rybakina abandoning the third-round clash.

Ruzic’s run to the last eight followed a string of tight victories. The 23-year-old came through deciding sets against Emma Raducanu and Anastasia Zakharova after falling in the opening round of qualifying to Rebecca Sramkova. She was one of seven lucky losers to enter the main draw as the tournament dealt with 10 withdrawals, including the WTA’s top-two ranked players Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek.

Elsewhere on Wednesday, defending champion Mirra Andreeva set up a last-eight meeting with second-seeded Amanda Anisimova. Andreeva defeated Jaqueline Cristian, 7-5, 6-3, following Anisimova’s 6-1, 6-3 victory over Janice Tjen. The American claimed their lone meeting in the third round of the 2025 Miami Open.

The sequence of retirements and withdrawals reshaped the draw, providing opportunities for qualifiers and lucky losers to advance deep into the WTA 1000 event. Ruzic will now prepare for a quarterfinal against a seeded opponent after advancing when the top seed was unable to continue. The tournament’s next round will determine whether the lucky loser’s breakthrough continues or if established seeds reassert control of the draw.

Alexandra Eala produced the headline result of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships second round, defeating No. 6-seeded and No. 8-ranked Jasmine Paolini 6-1, 7-6 (5) in a match lasting an hour and 40 minutes.

Eala dominated the opening set, racing through it and later reaching a set and a break up as victory loomed. Paolini mounted a fierce reply in the second set, saving three match points while serving at 3-5 — two at 15-40 and a third at ad-out — then won three games in a row to lead 6-5. Eala held to force a tie-break, missed another match point at 6-4, but closed the match on her fifth match point with a forehand winner up the line. It was her 24th and final winner of the match.

“All of the emotions are coming because the tension was so high, especially during that second set, so I’m really happy to have gotten through,” Eala said after the win. “She’s a great opponent, obviously being Top 10 and a former champion here in Dubai, so to be able to compete at this level with her is a great achievement for me.”

Reflecting on the decisive moments, Eala added: “In the tie-break I was trying everything to keep myself in check. In the change of ends I was thinking about how this stadium is full of Filipinos, and I thought of how many of them were probably praying for me to win! So I knew that I had to give everything I had.”

The victory marks Eala’s third Top 10 scalp of her career; her first two came against Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek during her breakthrough run to the semifinals at another WTA 1000 event in Miami last year. All three wins over top players have come in straight sets, and her record against Top 10 opponents now stands at 3-2.

ALEXANDRA EALA VS TOP 10 PLAYERS: 3-2

Daniil Medvedev and Learner Tien form one of the more unexpected duos on the doubles acceptance list for the 2026 Indian Wells ATP event. At each of the past two Australian Opens, Medvedev has been sent packing by Tien. The one instance the former world No. 1 got the better of the left-hander in four career meetings thus far, he even admitted afterwards that Tien “drives him nuts” on the court. Their joint entry drew attention when the list was released.

The first ATP Masters 1000 event of the season often assembles a mix of established doubles teams and pairings made up of singles players. The acceptance list includes Australian Open champions Christian Harrison and Neal Skupski alongside combinations formed by singles specialists. Medvedev’s good friends, Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev, are set to run it back in the California desert for the fourth consecutive year.

Also entered are Francisco Cerundolo and Luciano Darderi, Alexander Bublik and Rajeev Ram, Flavio Cobolli and Corentin Moutet, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Sebastian Korda, and the U.S. tandem of Brandon Nakashima and Frances Tiafoe. Cousins Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot signed up together, with Czech compatriots Jiri Lehecka and Tomas Machac listed as well. Tour pals Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Arthur Fils will compete as a team.

A notable name on the alternates list drew particular interest: world No. 2 Jannik Sinner is listed at No. 4 alongside Reilly Opelka. Sinner previously played doubles in Indian Wells from 2022-2024, partnering Lorenzo Sonego twice and Sebastian Korda once. Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton and Joao Fonseca were among the players who just missed the cut. With three wild card places still available, singles stars could yet join the 32-team field through wild cards or withdrawals.