Doha: The $4.1 million Qatar TotalEnergies Open 2026, the season’s first WTA 1000 tournament, gets underway today at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex, with seven of the world’s Top 10 players set to compete.

With World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka absent, three-time champion Iga Swiatek leads the field as top seed, followed by Elena Rybakina, defending champion Amanda Anisimova, Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva. The draw promises high-profile clashes as the tournament progresses.

Defending champion Anisimova could face Elina Svitolina in the quarter-finals, while Rybakina, fresh from Grand Slam success, is on a potential collision course with rising star Andreeva in the lower half of the draw. Swiatek may meet sixth seed Jasmine Paolini in the last eight.

Opening-day action includes 2019 champion Elise Mertens taking on Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Centre Court, along with matches featuring Ann Li, Leylah Fernandez, Victoria Mboko and Karolina Muchova. Emma Raducanu also begins her Doha campaign hoping to regain form.

The tournament has seen late withdrawals from Barbora Krejcikova and Paola Badosa due to injuries, but strong fan interest and a star-studded lineup ensure an exciting start to one of the WTA Tour’s premier events.