WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships: World No 1 Naomi Osaka leads field as Elina Svitolina goes for hat-trick

The tennis world descends on Dubai over the last two weeks of February as the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships take place. The WTA women's competition is first, being held from February 17-23, with the men's ATP competition following the week after from February 24 until March 2, with 20-time major winner Roger Federer leading the field. Here is all you need to know about the WTA action that will be holding the attention at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium first. The WTA action is scheduled to begin with qualifying action on February 17, before the main draw competition begins on February 18. The final of the 19th staging of the women's competition is on February 23. The action will be again held at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, which is in Garhoud and by the Irish Village complex of the facility. Nine of the top 10 players in the WTA rankings are participating, ensuring this might be one of the strongest women's draws the competition has ever had. Newly crowned world No 1 Naomi Osaka will be the top seed, with No 2 Petra Kvitova, the woman she beat to win the Australian Open in January, also in the draw. Also competing is Simona Halep (No 3), Karolina Pliskova (No 5), Angelique Kerber (No 6), Elina Svitolina (No 7), Kiki Bertens (No 8) and Aryna Sabalenka (No 9) and Caroline Wozniacki (No 10). Last year's runner-up Daria Kasatkina, two-time major winner Garbine Muguruza, Madison Keys and 2017 French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko are also competing. Check out the gallery above for more details on the leading players in the draw, and their past history in Dubai. Svitolina is the defending champion and is looking for a hat-trick of Dubai titles, having also won in 2017. The Ukrainian will become the first player to win the competition three times in a row if she lifts the trophy on February 23. Wozniacki (2011), Kvitova (2013) and Halep (2015) are the other past champions in the field. Tickets for the competition can be purchased either at the venue's box office or by visiting https://dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com/tickets/available-tickets/

WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships: World No 1 Naomi Osaka leads field as Elina Svitolina goes for hat-trick

A look at the schedule and who is in the draw for the 19th staging of the women's competition in Dubai