The Qatar Open has lost two WTA champions just before the tournament was about to get underway.
Amanda Anisimova won the Qatar Open last year, which really propelled her onto a breakthrough season.
The American has returned to Doha as one of the top seeds, alongside the likes of Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina, who is the favorite to win the Qatar Open.
While the tournament still has many stars, players including Aryna Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula and Naomi Osaka have withdrawn from the Qatar Open this year.
They have now been joined by two WTA champions, who have pulled out of the Qatar Open at the last minute.
McCartney Kessler withdraws from the Qatar Open
The Qatar Open features 56 of the best players on the WTA Tour, including American McCartney Kessler.
Kessler is a three-time WTA title winner and reached her career-high ranking of world number 30 last year.
The 26-year-old was set to make her second appearance at the Qatar Open this year, having lost in the first round on her debut in 2025.
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However, with just hours to go until her first round match against Elsa Jacquemot, Kessler has withdrawn from the tournament.
The reason for this withdrawal has been given as a lower back injury, which Kessler has been seen struggling with in recent tournaments at the Australian Open and the Abu Dhabi Open.
As a result of Kessler’s withdrawal, Jacquemot will now play lucky loser Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the first round instead.
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Sorana Cirstea pulls out of the Qatar Open after winning title in Cluj-Napoca
Kessler is not the only player to have withdrawn from the Qatar Open today, as she has also been joined by Sorana Cirstea.
Cirstea beat Emma Raducanu to win the Transylvania Open yesterday, and was always going to face a tight turnaround to prepare for the Qatar Open.
However, it seems as though that turnaround was too tight for the 35-year-old, who will be retiring from tennis this year.
Cirstea has subsequently withdrawn from the Qatar Open due to a change of schedule, and has been replaced by former top 10 player Beatriz Haddad Maia.
It is unclear at this moment as to whether Raducanu will follow Cirstea by withdrawing from the Qatar Open.
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