Former world No 1 Garbine Muguruza has withdrawn from the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open ahead of her first-round clash with Karolina Pliskova for "personal reasons", organisers announced.
Muguruza, a two-time Grand Slam champion, had been scheduled to face Pliskova in the first match of Tuesday's evening session on the Stadium Court in what was arguably the tie of the round, but the Spaniard's withdrawal was confirmed by the tournament organisers hours before.
Pliskova will instead face lucky loser Ysaline Bonaventure, with the winner progressing to play Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the second round.
Compatriot Paula Badosa, the former world No 2, has also pulled out of the tournament due to illness. She has been replaced by Claire Liu, who will take on Russian eighth seed Liudmila Samsonova.
"Ysaline Bonaventure & Claire Liu are officially back in the game at #MubadalaAbuDhabiOpen! Replacing Badosa who is withdrawing due to viral illness & Muguruza who is withdrawing due to personal reasons," read a tweet from the official Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open account.
Muguruza, who won the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title in 2021, had hoped to kickstart her season in Abu Dhabi after beginning 2023 with four straight losses. Since winning the WTA Finals in 2021, the Spaniard has struggled for form and has slipped to 82 in the world rankings, although she told The National in an interview last week hat she was staying "calm" about her situation.
Badosa, meanwhile, has endured an injury-hit start to the year, sustaining a thigh injury at the Adelaide International last month which forced her to withdraw from the Australian Open.
The biog
Alwyn Stephen says much of his success is a result of taking an educated chance on business decisions.
His advice to anyone starting out in business is to have no fear as life is about taking on challenges.
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Mr Stephen sells his luxury fragrances at selected perfumeries around the UAE, including the House of Niche Boutique in Al Seef.
He relaxes by spending time with his family at home, and enjoying his wife’s India cooking.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Bah
Born: 1972
Husband: Emirati lawyer Salem Bin Sahoo, since 1992
Children: Soud, born 1993, lawyer; Obaid, born 1994, deceased; four other boys and one girl, three months old
Education: BA in Elementary Education, worked for five years in a Dubai school
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