Daily Dose of Social Media: Iga Swiatek, Zheng Qinwen and Jessica Pegula stand out at Dubai Players Party

WTA players dazzled at the Players Party, as we take a look at the images in a new Daily Dose of Social Media, featuring Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, Zheng Qinwen, Coco Gauff, and more.

Meanwhile, Alex de Minaur celebrated his 26th birthday, while Eugenie Bouchard shined in her latest pickleball exhibition. All this and more below!

Alcaraz, Djokovic & more in Qatar Open’s AI-driven pirate-themed promo

The new promotional video for the Qatar ATP 500 features Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, and Stefanos Tsitsipas as its main stars. Created using artificial intelligence, the entertaining video depicts the three tennis players dressed as corsairs and pirates, landing on the shores of Doha, Qatar, with the goal of conquering the tournament. The clip hints that the best of tennis is arriving in the Middle East.

The Qatar Open begins today, 17 February, and will run until 22 February. With Jannik Sinner absent due to his doping-related suspension, Carlos Alcaraz leads the tournament’s field. Fans eagerly anticipate whether the Spaniard can close the ranking gap with the Italian and reclaim his spot as world No. 1.

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Bouchard shines in Pickleball slam

Genie Bouchard recently posted an image from the Pickleball Slam, where she currently ranks No. 17. As one of the most recognisable faces in the sport, she is a major attraction at events. However, the former tennis star has made it clear that she has not completely retired from the sport.

The 2014 Wimbledon finalist still trains, competes, and holds a ranking in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA). At present, Bouchard is ranked No. 1288 in tennis.

The Canadian is currently taking part in Pickleball Slam 3, where she faced legends Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf in a series of matches held in Las Vegas, broadcast on ESPN. Bouchard admitted that her presence on the centre court is not solely due to her pickleball skills but also because of her past tennis achievements and the impact they have on her transition into the sport.

The former world No. 4 was first approached by the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) in 2023 during the US Open. She later signed a three-year contract—terms undisclosed—that includes provisions allowing her to continue competing in tennis events.

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WTA stars shine at Dubai Players Party: Swiatek, Zheng and more

The players shone at the Dubai Players Party, with some catching particular attention. Among them, American Jessica Pegula looked radiant in a fitted white top, smiling happily throughout the event. Meanwhile, Elena Rybakina stayed true to her signature style, sporting jeans and a white blazer.

Qinwen Zheng dazzled in a stunning outfit, pairing a black leather skirt with a white shirt and top combo, a look that was widely praised by her fans.

Iga Swiatek opted for comfort, sticking to her usual outfit patterns—yet that didn't stop her from looking beautiful.

However, German player Eva Lys stole the spotlight with a simple yet striking ensemble—jeans and a top—showcasing her impressively toned abs. Not only did she turn heads with her outfit, but she also made waves on the court. Lys secured a commanding 6-1, 6-3 victory over World No. 70 Kamilla Rakhimova in the final round of WTA 1000 Dubai qualifying, officially booking her place in the main draw for the first time.

Currently ranked World No. 91, Lys delivered a dominant performance in the Dubai qualifying final, winning seven consecutive games, breaking Rakhimova’s serve five times, and sealing the match in just 77 minutes.

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Alex de Minaur turns 26 as he prepares for Doha Open debut

Alex de Minaur is celebrating his birthday today! The Australian turned 26, and the ATP Tour shared a post to mark the occasion. Currently ranked World No. 8 after dropping two spots, De Minaur is set to compete this week at the Doha Open, where he will face Roman Safiullin tomorrow.

It's worth remembering that last year, the Australian withdrew from the Paris Olympics—just like Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune—after suffering a hip injury during his fourth-round victory at Wimbledon. The injury prevented him from playing in the quarter-finals, and since he hadn't fully recovered, he opted not to compete in the singles main draw in Paris.

Emma Navarro prepares for Dubai return 

Emma Navarro posted a video of herself training and chatting with young girls at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Tomorrow, the American will face Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic. After a disappointing opening-round loss at the Qatar Open against Leylah Fernandez, Navarro returns to Dubai, a tournament she previously had to leave due to the unpredictability of the WTA Tour.

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It's worth remembering that during her Australian Open quarter-final loss to Iga Swiatek, Navarro decided not to stop play after a double bounce, costing her a crucial point. Following the incident, the American called for a rule change regarding video review usage.

Navarro lost the match 6-1, 6-2, and her comeback hopes faded after a controversial moment in the second set when the score was tied at 2-2. Swiatek rushed to the net and returned a low shot after the ball had bounced twice, but the chair umpire failed to notice.

Navarro immediately requested a video review after losing the point, but the umpire ruled it was too late since play had continued. "I think it should be allowed after the point, even if you're playing. It all happens so fast. You hit, she returns, and you're thinking, 'Well, I'll keep playing,'" said Emma Navarro.

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Rybakina all smiles in Dubai

Elena Rybakina was all smiles in her latest training photos from Dubai as she prepares for her debut on Tuesday against Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima, who recently stunned Doha finalist Jelena Ostapenko with a dominant 6-3, 6-3 victory.

The 2022 Wimbledon champion has been in the spotlight following the indefinite suspension of her coach, Stefano Vukov. The WTA decided to suspend him for violations of the code of conduct due to alleged mistreatment of Rybakina, although the player denied the accusations when asked and voiced her dissatisfaction with the sanction. Rybakina recently reached the Qatar Open quarter-finals but fell to world No. 2 Iga Swiatek.

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