Simona Halep, Garbine Muguruza now the players to beat at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

With Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber not in Dubai, the path is clearer for Simona Halep and Garbine Muguruza, writes Jon Turner.

Simona Halep returns a shot in a Fed Cup tennis match at Sala Polivalenta Cluj Napoca hall in Cluj Napoca City, on February 7, 2016. (AFP/DANIEL MIHAILESCU)

DUBAI // The top two seeds at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Simona Halep and Garbine Muguruza, have dismissed the notion that the absence of Serena Williams will make this year's tournament easier to win.

World No 1 Williams and Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber both withdrew from Dubai on Saturday, citing illness and injury respectively. For Williams, it is the third time in four years she has pulled out on the eve of the tournament, following similar withdrawals last year and in 2013.

In place of Williams and world No 2 Kerber, defending champion Halep, and world No 5 Muguruza have been promoted to the top two seeds, but neither feel the competitiveness of the tournament has been diminished.

“Every tournament is tough at this level and everyone can win it,” said world No 3 Halep, who initially ruled herself out of Dubai to have surgery on a deviated septum but delayed the procedure to defend her title.

“This tournament is special for me because I won it last year, and I am happy that I came back. That is the most important thing for me, and that is why I came to play here.”

Read more: Crowd favourite Jelena Jankovic feels right at home in Dubai against young star Belinda Bencic

When the original lineup was announced in mid-January, 13 of the world’s top 20 were confirmed to play, but along with Williams and Kerber, Agnieszka Radwanska (world No 4), Lucie Safarova (No 10), Timea Bacsinszky (No 15), and Caroline Wozniacki (No 18) have all pulled out.

The inclusions of Halep and world No 9 Petra Kvitova, courtesy of wildcards, ensure half of the top 20 remain in the draw, and Muguruza said it is the underestimated opponents who pose the biggest danger.

“Sometimes when you play the first rounds, and not the top players, people think you have to win, but actually that’s the day you lose,” Muguruza said. “For sure, the draw changes, the seeding and everything, but I think every match is very tough, from the beginning until the final.”

Meanwhile, third seed Carla Suarez Navarro said the absence of Williams and Kerber will only serve to motivate the rest of the field to win the title.

“For us it’s much better,” the Spaniard said. “But the draw here is really tough. There are still many top players here.

“You have to be focused on your game in every single match that you play every single week. Of course, with players like Serena not coming, the others want to win the title. All the players have the same goal.”

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