The new WTA season is up and running, and so are the thrilling Middle East tournaments! Following a sensational WTA 1000 event in Qatar, where 23-year-old American Amanda Anisimova claimed the biggest title of her career, the spotlight now shifts to another final at Dubai as Clara Tauson and Mirra Andreeva go head-to-head in today’s much anticipated final. But beyond the prestige, what is the prize money awaiting the champion?

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, marking its 25th edition, kicked off on February 16 on outdoor hard courts in the U.A.E., attracting 27 of the world’s Top 30 players from the PIF WTA Rankings. This year’s total prize money pool stands at $3,654,963, a 13.8% increase from last year.

The champion will not only claim 1000 ranking points but also take home $597,000, a 14% boost from last year when Jasmine Paolini won her maiden WTA 1000 title and became the second Italian to win the Dubai singles title, following Sara Errani’s footsteps who won in 2016. The increase in prize money extends across the order of play. For instance, the runner-up earns $351,801, a 14.1% increase from 2024. The prize money of $181,400 for the semi-finalists is also a 14.1% boost from last year.

Not only has the prize pool been enhanced, but the tournament has also delivered high-quality matches and surprising upsets leading up to today’s final. For instance, defending champion Jasmine Paolini suffered a shocking R16 exit, falling in straight sets to 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin. Top seed Aryna Sabalenka, fresh off a surprising Qatar Open R32 defeat, was ousted in the R16 as well. 

Meanwhile, the 2nd and 3rd seeds, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff, also failed to reach the semifinals, exiting in the quarterfinals and R32, respectively. Now, in an unexpected final showdown, Tauson and Andreeva will battle for the massive cash prize starting at 10 am EST on Saturday!

Here’s what to expect from the final of the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships

The Dubai Tennis Championships will witness a historic showdown in the final, as 12th seed Russian Mirra Andreeva faces Denmark’s Clara Tauson in their first-ever WTA 1000 final. At 17 and 22 years old, respectively, these two emerging WTA stars will make history as the youngest combined-age finalists in WTA 1000 history.

The teenager Andreeva has stunned the tennis world by defeating three Grand Slam champions, including 2023 Wimbledon champion Markéta Vondroušová in the Round of 32 and five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek in the QF. Her SF win over Elena Rybakina in three sets made her the youngest WTA 1000 finalist since the format was introduced in 2009.

The Danish Tauson, on the other hand, boasts a 15-3 record in 2025. Her dominant Dubai run includes a straight-set victory over top seed Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka in the third round and wins over former top 10 players like Elina Svitolina, and Karolína Muchová. Though she dropped her first set in the semifinals, the Danish, who already won the WTA 250 ASB Classic in January, remains in formidable form.

With the two youngsters facing off for the first time in Saturday’s final, who garners your support? Let us know in the comments below.