DOHA: Elina Svitolina and Karolina Pliskova take top billing at the Qatar Open which starts Monday under strict Covid-19 safety protocols and without several top stars.
World number one Ashleigh Barty, reigning Wimbledon champion Simona Halep and former Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin have all withdrawn, thinning an already diminished field.
The tournament took a further hit Saturday when French Open champion Iga Swiatek also withdrew moments after winning the Adelaide WTA title.
The absences leave fifth-ranked Svitolina and Karolina Pliskova, the world number six, the headline acts with the highest-ranked Arab player in WTA history Ons Jabeur as well as Egypt’s Mayar Sherif also taking to the hard courts in Doha.
This month’s delayed…
