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The Washington Open is the first stop of the 2026 North American hard-court swing, and the women’s tournament has been hit by some big name withdrawals.
This year’s edition of the WTA 500 tournament in Washington, which will be staged at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center, will get underway on Monday 27 July and conclude on Sunday 2 August.
The women’s main draw at the Mubadala Citi DC Open — the event’s sponsorship name — features 28 players.
Leylah Fernandez is the defending women’s singles champion in the U.S. Capital, having defeated Anna Kalinskaya in the 2025 title match.
Eight of the top 20 players in the WTA Rankings featured on the original women’s entry list for the Washington Open, but three of these stars have withdrawn.
Marta Kostyuk, Jasmine Paolini and Iva Jovic, who would have been seeded third, fifth and sixth respectively, have all pulled out.
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Paolini has revealed her withdrawal is due to a foot injury, and the Italian will also miss the WTA 1000 tournament in Toronto.
On Instagram, Paolini wrote: “Unfortunately, I’ve decided to withdraw from Washington and Toronto so I can give my foot some extra time to rest.
“I’m sorry I won’t be there, and I wish everyone involved two amazing tournaments. Thank you, as always, for all your love and support.”
Paolini, who is a two-time Grand Slam finalist, reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon earlier this month.
Katerina Siniakova and Jaqueline Cristian are the other women who have withdrawn.
WTA Washington Open 2026 withdrawal list
- Marta Kostyuk (world No 11) — replaced by Elisabetta Cocciaretto
- Jasmine Paolini (world No 15) — replaced by Katie Boulter
- Iva Jovic (world No 16) — replaced by Magdalena Frech
- Katerina Siniakova (world No 35) — replaced by Magda Linette
- Jaqueline Cristian (world No 41) — replaced by Sara Bejlek
Who will be seeded at the Washington Open following the withdrawals?
As things stand, there are still five top 20 players who will compete at the WTA 500 in Washington.
The top eight seeds are currently set to be: Jessica Pegula, Elina Svitolina, Naomi Osaka, Diana Shnaider, Anna Kalinskaya, Madison Keys, Leylah Fernandez and Emma Navarro.
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