WTA 1000 Dubai draw: Sabalenka set for revenge, defending champion Paolini takes on qualifier

With the final of the Doha tournament set to deliver its verdict this Saturday, and Jelena Ostapenko set to face Amanda Anisimova for the title in Qatar, one tournament follows another.

The best players on the WTA circuit meet again for another WTA 1000, this time in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

World number 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who was eliminated on her debut in Doha, will be looking to respond. In her first match in Dubai, she will be up against the winner of the match between Ekaterina Alexandrova and a qualifier.

The two women met last week, and the Belarusian was beaten by the Russian. If Alexandrova makes it through the first round, she'll be out for revenge.

Iga Swiatek, last year's semi-finalist in Dubai, who was just beaten in the semi-finals in Qatar, will make her debut against either Victoria Azarenka or Anhelina Kalinina.

World number 4 Jasmine Paolini, who won the title to everyone's surprise at the same time last year, will start her campaign to retain her trophy against a qualifier.

Coco Gauff, ousted by Marta Kostyuk in Doha, will also be looking to reassure herself and will be up against a compatriot, either McCartney Kessler or Amanda Anisimova. Wild card Caroline Garcia will be up against Marketa Vondrousova.

Notable first-round opponents include Sakkari-Raducanu, Svitolina-Kalinskaya, Noskova-Putintseva, Vekic-Kenin and Jabeur-Stearns.