WTA Dubai Open 2021: Women’s Singles Draw Preview, Analysis and Prediction


WTA Dubai Open 2021: Women’s Singles Draw Preview, Analysis and Prediction
Elina Svitolina Petra Kvitova Aryna Sabalenka

Dubai Open, a WTA 1000 event, will be held in Dubai from March 7-13 . The tournament will be played on hard courts and will feature the likes of Elina Svitolina, Petra Kvitova , Aryna Sabalenka, and Iga Swiatek

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Coco Gauff, Timea Babos, and Anastasia Potapova have all received wildcards for the Dubai open. Defending Champion Simona Halep will not be a part of this tournament in this edition. 

Tournament Details:

  • Tournament: Dubai Open 2021
  • Date: March 7-13 , 2021
  • Number of Entrants: 64 (Singles), 32 (Doubles)
  • Venue: Dubai, UAE
  • Surface: Hard Court
  • Prize Money: $1,835,490
  • Defending champion: Simona Halep

Top Seeds at the Qatar Open 2021

  • Elina Svitolina (Ukraine)
  • Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic)
  • Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)
  • Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic)
  • Kiki Bertens (Netherlands)
  • Belinda Bencic (Switzerland)
  • Victoria Azarenka (Belarus)
  • Iga Swiatek (Poland) 

Women’s Draw Prediction and Analysis

Top Half

Elina Svitolina

The top half includes top seed Elina Svitolina, fourth seed Petra Kvitova, and sixth seed Belinda Bencic. A potential Quarter Final could be between Elina Svitolina and sixth seed Belinda Bencic. Svitolina is slowly getting back to her best and we saw that in the Qatar Open. She will fancy her chances against Bencic. Svitolina, a two time Dubai Open champion, is expected to book her place in the Semi Finals. 

Another encounter to look out for could be the third round match between Kvitova and fourteenth seed Elena Rybakina. Kvitova should overcome that challenge. The second Quarter Final from this side of the draw could be between Kvitova and fifth seed Kiki Bertens. Petra Kvitova should feature in the Semi Finals. 

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First Semi Final Prediction: Elina Svitolina vs Petra Kvitova

Bottom Half

Karolina Pliskova

The bottom half of the draw features third seed Aryna Sabalenka, seventh seed Victoria Azarenka, ninth seed Garbine Muguruza, and second seed Karolin Pliskova. A potentially exciting third round match could be between Iga Swiatek and Garbine Muguruza. The Polish rising star Swiatek is expected to win that encounter.  Swiatek is also expected to beat Sabalenka and get to the Semi Finals. 

Another potential Quarter Final encounter could be between Pliskova and Azarenka, but only if Azarenka is fit. With Azarenka’s injury status not known, one has to think Pliskova will book her place in the semifinals.  

Second Semi Final Prediction: Iga Swiatek vs Karolina Pliskova

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Semifinals

Petra Kvitova

The first Semi Final will see Elina Svitolina take on Petra Kvitova. Svitolina in the last couple of years has been a rising force in women’s tennis, and her recent record against Kvitova shows that. Svitolina, the champion from 2017 and 2018, is expected to reach the Finals. 

The second Semi Final will be a battle between Iga Swiatek and Karolina Pliskova. Swiatek the fearless nineteen year old from Poland recently won the Adelaide Open and is high on confidence. Pliskova recently participated and struggled for rhythm in the Qatar Open. Swiatek looks like the more likely one to make it to the Final. 

Final Prediction: Elina Svitolina vs Iga Swiatek

Final

Iga Swiatek

The rising star of tennis Swiatek has an offensive all court game, and possesses a game that is complemented by a big serve with heavy topspin. Swiatek is primed to win her second WTA event in the space of a month, and this tournament will also establish her as the new star of the tennis world.

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To Lift the Title:  Iga Swiatek

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