Ons Jabeur wins Berlin Open after injury forces Belinda Bencic to retire

Top seed Ons Jabeur secured a third career title when opponent Belinda Bencic was forced to retire injured in the Berlin Open final on Sunday.

Bencic suffered an ankle injury in the final game of the opening set, and though the Swiss player continued for three more games, she called a halt to the match while trailing 6-3, 2-1.

“I told her, ‘Forget about it, forget about today’. The most important thing for me is that she's OK,” Jabeur, who beat American teenager Coco Gauff in the semi-final, said.

It was not the way Jabeur would have liked to have secured the victory in a season in which the Tunisian has reached a career-high fourth in the world. She also became the first African and first Arab player to win a WTA 1000 event at last month's Madrid Open.

She is projected to move up to third in the rankings on Monday.

Even as the crowd gave both finalists a round of applause, Jabeur was busy helping treat Bencic as she took her seat, bringing her an ice bucket for her ankle.

“You deserve this title and I really don't want to take this moment away from you,” Olympic champion Bencic told Jabeur after the match

Jabeur dropped only one set during the tournament, in a warning to her rivals ahead of Wimbledon, which gets under way on June 27.

She is only the second woman to win multiple titles this year after world No 1 Iga Swiatek, who skipped the Berlin Open due to a shoulder issue, saying she wanted to recover and rest before the UK Grand Slam.

Jabeur, 27, will next head to Eastbourne, where she is set to partner with 23-times major champion Serena Williams for the doubles event. Williams, 40, is making her return to the tour a year after her last match.

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Wednesday (Kick-offs UAE)

FC Copenhagen (0) v Istanbul Basaksehir (1) 8.55pm

Shakhtar Donetsk (2) v Wolfsburg (1) 8.55pm

Inter Milan v Getafe (one leg only) 11pm

Manchester United (5) v LASK (0) 11pm

Thursday

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Sevilla v Roma (one leg only) 8.55pm

FC Basel (3) v Eintracht Frankfurt (0) 11pm

Wolves (1) Olympiakos (1) 11pm

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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer