Naomi Osaka and Other Stars Withdraw From Doha

Several WTA stars have pulled out of the 2026 Qatar TotalEnergies Open.

Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the 2026 Qatar TotalEnergies Open. | IMAGO / AAP

The first WTA Masters 1000 event of the year is less than a week away, and injuries have already dramatically reshaped the field. The 2026 Qatar TotalEnergies Open will be without several of the sport's biggest stars.

As of Tuesday morning, the following players have pulled out of the Doha Masters: Jessica Pegula (6), Naomi Osaka (14), Madison Keys (15), Iva Jovic (20), and Marta Kostyuk (23).

Osaka's Injury Concerns

Naomi Osaka during her first round win at the 2026 Australian Open. | IMAGO / AAP

Osaka is one of the most concerning withdrawals as her Australian Open campaign was cut short by a recurring core injury. The four-time Grand Slam champion was unable to play her third round match against Maddison Inglis.

"I've had to make the difficult decision to withdraw to address something my body needs attention for after my last match," said Osaka. "I was so excited to keep going, and this run meant the most to me, so having to stop here breaks my heart, but I can't risk doing any further damage, so I can get back on the court."

Osaka's statement concluded, "Thanks for all the love and support...I'm so grateful everyone embraced me so much. And thank you to my whole team for always having my back, and the tournament organizers."

Doha's Reshaped Field

Iva Jovic at the 2026 Australian Open. | Mike Frey-Imagn Images

Meanwhile, the decisions from Pegula, Keys, Jovic, and Kostyuk were less surprising. The first three players made deep runs in Melbourne, while Kostyuk suffered an ankle injury in her first round loss to Elsa Jacquemot.

Despite several players pulling out of the tournament, fans can still expect to see Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and defending champion Amanda Anisimova compete in Doha.

WTA Middle East Swing

Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek in Doha. | IMAGO / Paul Zimmer

The 2026 Qatar TotalEnergies Open runs from February 8-14. The matches are played on the outdoor, hard courts at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha.

After the Qatar TotalEnergies Open, the Middle East swing continues with another Masters 1000 event at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

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