Emma Raducanu falls to antonia ruzic in Dubai first round upset
British number one Emma Raducanu was eliminated from the Dubai Tennis Championships in the opening round on Feb. 17, 2026 (ET), beaten 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 by Croatia’s antonia ruzic. The result was a significant scalp for the world No. 67, who entered the main draw as a lucky loser after late withdrawals opened spots in qualifying.
Match recap: momentum swings and a late rally
Ruzic dominated the opening set, breaking Raducanu twice to race through 6-1 in just 30 minutes. Raducanu, ranked 25th in the world, required medical attention at the end of that set and briefly struggled to find rhythm early on. The Briton battled back doggedly in the second set, rescuing herself from a break down to claim four consecutive games and take the set 7-5. Raducanu then carried that momentum into the decider, winning the first two games to go 2-0 up.
But the match swung again. Ruzic answered emphatically, ripping off six straight games to close out the contest 6-2 and complete a gritty, opportunistic victory in roughly two hours and 20 minutes. The Croatian’s comeback streak underlined her composure in the defining moments and converted a rare chance for a career-best scalp against a top-30 opponent.
Background and wider context
Ruzic’s presence in the main draw came at short notice; she was one of seven lucky losers drafted in after multiple late withdrawals reshaped the field. The Croatian said she only confirmed her spot on Monday and had minimal time to prepare, making the win an unexpected turnaround in a disrupted draw. For Raducanu, the loss follows recent physical concerns — she needed medical attention in this match and had withdrawn from her first-round fixture at the Qatar Open earlier in the week.
This defeat halts what had been a promising recent run for Raducanu, who reached a tour final earlier in the season. It also serves notice of how quickly momentum can shift in a packed WTA calendar: players forced to juggle back-to-back events and recovery windows create unpredictable openings for alternates and qualifiers.
What it means next
Ruzic moves into the second round with newfound confidence after clinching her first career win over a top-30 player. Her victory rewards a last-minute opportunity and will boost her in-form credentials as the tour moves on. Raducanu, meanwhile, faces questions about fitness and scheduling as she looks to regroup. With the season still early, the focus will be on recovery and targeted preparation for upcoming events to arrest the slide and rediscover consistency.
The Dubai tournament’s string of late withdrawals reshuffled many first-round matchups, creating both headaches for organisers and openings for lower-ranked players eager to capitalise. For now, the headline is simple: an unexpected entry became the spoiler, and antonia ruzic’s breakthrough will be one of the tournament’s defining early stories.
