Leylah Fernandez found herself playing on the first Sunday in Dubai – second week in the Middle East that this has happened.
And she got another tough draw in No. 13 seed Liudmila Samsonova. Last week in Doha, it was American Ann Li who took her out in straight sets.
But she battled. And got through.
Also spotlighted on Day 1 are Alexandra Eala, who got the stadium court and benefited from a retirement, courtesy of opponent Hailey Baptiste.
Zheng Qinwen pulled out late, due to illness.
(Dubai is 9 hours ahead of ET).
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Location: Dubai, UAE
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Hard Court
Dates: Feb. 15 – 21, 2026
Prize Money: $4,088,211
Draws: S56 – D28
Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026
Final results
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Singles, first round
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Canadian content
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Seeds advancing
[10] Linda Noskova (CZE) def. Ann Li (USA) 63 57 64
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Other results
Alexandra Eala (PHI) def. [LL] Hailey Baptiste (USA) 64 01 retd
Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) def Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 64 64
Magda Linette (POL) def [WC] Lulu Sun (NZL) 46 64 61
Elise Mertens (BEL) def. Marie Bouzkova (CZE) 62 62
Diana Shnaider (RUS) def Maya Joint (AUS) 64 61
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Qs, WCs and LLs
[WC] Sara Bejlek (CZE) def [WC] Zeynep Sonmez (TUR) 62 62
[Q] Kimberly Birrell (AUS) def Tatjana Maria (GER) 64 36 75
[Q] Ella Seidel (GER) def Cristina Bucsa (ESP) 61 64
[LL] Peyton Stearns (USA) def Zheng Qinwen (CHN) [LL] Magdalena Frech (POL) 64 62
[WC] Janice Tjen (INA) def Dayana Yastremska (UKR) 64 61
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Doubles, first round
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[7] Storm Hunter (AUS) / Katerina Siniakova (CZE) def Andreja Klepac (SLO) / Katarzyna Piter (POL) 62 63
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Ellen Perez (AUS) / Demi Schuurs (NED) def Xu Yifan / Yang Zhaoxuan (CHN) 62 61
Lyudmyla Kichenok (UKR) / Desirae Krawczyk (USA) def. Miyu Kato (JPN) / Fanny Stollar (HUN) 64 64
Giuliana Olmos (MEX) / Jessica Pegula (USA) def Tereza Mihalikova (SVK) / Olivia Nicolls (GBR) 64 63
Hao-Ching Chan (TPE) / Clara Tauson (DEN) def Darija Jurak Schreiber (CRO) / Magali Kempen (BEL) 75 64