Plenty of Big Hitters to Challenge For Dubai Title

Krejcikova Looks To Join A Select Group of Repeat Champs in Dubai

Things went pretty much according to plan at the WTA stop in Qatar. Will it be more of the same when it comes to the WTA Dubai Open Betting Odds? The tournament is expected to have 14 of the top 15 players in the field.

American Jessica Pegula pulled out of the tournament as she continues to work her way back from injury. That leaves Emma Navarro as the No. 2 American in the field.

Three seeded players failed to advance out of the first round of qualifying so keep that in mind when looking at the tennis odds heading into this WTA 1000 event. Defending champion Barbora Krejcikova is priced at +1800 to make it back-to-back titles in Dubai according to the tennis betting lines.

Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka returns to the court and she is priced at -110 to win at least two Grand Slam tennis events.

When looking at the latest WTA rankings, there wasn’t much movement. Elena Rybakina jumped over Pegula to take over the No. 4 spot with Daria Kasatkina moving from 14th to 13th.

Here’s a look at some storylines heading into the star-studded tennis event in Dubai.

Swiatek Looking to Seal the Deal

After a disappointing showing at the Australian Open, top-ranked Iga Swiatek looks like she is ready to make her presence felt in the lead-up to the French Open.

Swiatek made her way to the Qatar final without dropping a set including a 6-4, 6-0 win over former World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka to set up a title showdown against Elena Rybakina. She is a player to watch when looking at the WTA Dubai Open betting odds.

After failing to get by the Round of 16 in her first two appearances in Dubai, Swiatek made it to the finals in 2023 aided by a straight-set win over Coco Gauff in the semifinals.

Sabalenka Set to Return

Aryna had a dominant run to the Australian Open title as she not only failed to drop a set but didn’t lose more than three games in a set until a 7-6, 6-4 win over Gauff in the semifinals before losing a total of five games to Qinwen Zheng in the title match.

Sabalenka has never made it past the quarterfinals in seven previous trips to Dubai. Even with her recent inactivity, she will draw plenty of action in the WTA Dubai Open betting odds.

With the way she played in Melbourne, she comes in at -110 odds to win at least two Grand Slam titles.

Gauff Leads the U.S. Hopes

No American player has won the title in Dubai since Venus Williams in 2014. That is the last time a U.S.-born player reached the finals in this tournament.

Much like Sabalenka, Gauff has kept a low profile since a semifinal appearance at the Australian Open.

She was the No. 2 seed in Qatar but after receiving a first-round bye, Gauff lost 6-2, 6-4 to Katerina Siniakova in her first match since the Australian Open.

With Pegula pulling out of another tournament, the No. 2 ranked American player in the field is Emma Navarro. Sofia Kenin, Caroline Dolehide, and Sloane Stephens are also in the main draw.

Other Players to Watch

Even without No. 5 Pegula, No. 16 Madison Keys, and No. 17 Petra Kvitova (the 2013 champion), this tournament is loaded with players who can challenge Swiatek, Sabalenka, and Gauff for the title.

Rybakina has played well in Qatar while Krejcikova is looking to join Justine Henin, Venus Williams, Elina Svitolina as the only players to successfully defend their titles in Dubai.

Jelena Ostapenko is another former champion in the field.

It is hard to overlook Zheng based on her results at the Australian Open while Ons Jabeur, Marketa Vondrousova, and Maria Sakkari are players looking to find their game.

What’s Next?

This is the last of the WTA 1000 events until the U.S.-based events in Indian Wells and Miami next month.

The players who want to get some match preparation on U.S. soil can play in the WTA 500 event in San Diego or the WTA 250 tournament in Austin, Texas with both tournaments starting on Feb. 26.

A Quick History Lesson

Three of the top five seeds reached the semifinals in the 2023 tournament with the lone exception being the eventual champion.

The unseeded Krejcikova took out seventh-seeded Daria Kasatkina and No. 12 seed Petra Kvitova before upsetting Sabalenka in three sets in the semifinals. The other semifinal saw Swiatek top Gauff 6-4, 6-2. That was the same score as the women’s final with Krejcikova pulling off the upset.

The tournament saw a pair of walkovers in the quarterfinals so that is one piece of history tournament organizers would rather not repeat.

For Tennis betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

Can’t get enough? Here’s more!

• Swiatek, Gauff, Rybakina Top Contenders in Qatar WTA Stop
• After Australian Open Disappointment, Rybakina Returns to the Court
• After Eliminating Djokovic, Sinner Is Betting Favorite in Aussie Open Final
• Linz WTA Event Is Wide Open After Wimbledon Champion’s Withdrawal
• Defending champion Sabalenka Favored Vs Zheng in Australian Open Final