Belinda Bencic WTA Abu Dhabi 2026 WTA Renata Zarazúa

The WTA of Abu Dhabi suffers the worst possible last-minute dropout: defending champion falls

Carlos Navarro - 4 Feb 2026

Brutal blow suffered at the last minute by the WTA Abu Dhabi 2026. Already challenging due to its place on the calendar, just after the Australian Open, the withdrawal at the last moment of its defending champion and main title contender has been the final straw. It's Belinda Bencic, who cited illness to miss her debut, set for the second round, just minutes before stepping on the court. She is replaced by Renata Zarazúa, now with a golden opportunity to reach the quarterfinals of a WTA 500 against Sonay Kartal.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El WTA de Abu Dhabi sufre la peor baja posible a última hora: cae la campeona defensora

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