Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge Features 80 Players In Its 28th Annual Tournament

The Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge's 28th edition is set for 1st to 7th December at Dubai's Habtoor Grande Resort. This annual event will feature 80 players, with Ukrainian Daria Snigur, the 2021 singles champion, being the only past winner confirmed to participate. The tournament promises exciting matches with top-ranked players competing.

Leading the field is Austrian Julia Grabher, ranked No.92 by the WTA. She is joined by Latvia’s Darja Semenistaja at No.94 and Hungary’s Dalma Galfi, a regular in Dubai, ranked No.96. Completing the top five are Anastasia Zakharova at No.101 and Austria’s Sinja Kraus at No.105.

Julia Grabher has had an impressive year, winning her second WTA 125 title in October 2025 at the Florianopolis Open in Brazil. Her victory over Carole Monnet in the final helped her return to the top 100 rankings for the first time since November 2023.

Darja Semenistaja made her major debut at the US Open after qualifying but lost to Peyton Stearns in the first round. However, she reached world No.90 in October 2025 after winning the Les Franqueses del Valles W100 event.

Dalma Galfi of Hungary, known for being the ITF Junior World Champion in 2015, has also had a strong season. She claimed her first WTA 125 title at the Oeiras Ladies Open in April and followed it up with another win at the Catalonia Open.

Daria Snigur stands out among participants as a former champion who excelled on grass courts in Wimbledon and Nottingham in 2024. She also reached the main draw of the Australian Open that year, showcasing her talent on various surfaces.

The tournament's history includes notable past champions like Sorana Cirstea (2020), Ana Bogdan (2019), Peng Shuai (2018), Belinda Bencic (2017), Kimiko Date-Krumm (2012), Sania Mirza (2010), Maria Kirilenko (2007), Kateryna Bondarenko (2006), Marion Bartoli (2005), Jelena Jankovic (2003), and Kyra Nagy, who won the inaugural event in 1998.

The singles qualifying rounds will kick off on 30th November, while main draw singles matches start on 1st December. This schedule sets the stage for thrilling tennis action throughout early December.

With inputs from WAM