Simona Halep is headlining a superb field for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. This is a Premier-level tournament with a field of 32 on the WTA. After her semi-final crash at the Australian Open, will Halep be able to put the disappointment behind her and claim the second Dubai title of her career?
WTA Dubai Winner Odds*
Simona Halep 5/1
Karolina Pliskova 11/2
Sofia Kenin 8/1
Aryna Sabalenka 9/1
Garbine Muguruza 11/1
Elina Svitolina 11/1
Elise Mertens 14/1
Belinda Bencic 14/1
Dayana Yastremska 20/1
Maria Sakkari 20/1
Marketa Vondrousova 20/1
* (betting odds taken from Bet365 on February 16th, 2020 at 20:33)
Table of Contents
Halep starts as favourite
Simona Halep won the Dubai title back in 2015 and she goes as the 5/1 favourite this year* (betting odds taken from Bet365 on February 16th, 2020 at 20:33). The Romanian was looking so good at the Australian Open 2020, really running along in great form.
With seeds dropping from her section, she looked set for his first title at Melbourne Park. That was until she met an inspired Garbine Muguruza in the semi-finals.
Aside from that run to the final four at the Australian Open, Halep’s only other action in 2020 was a couple of matches at the Adelaide International as a pre-Slam warm up. Halep was a losing quarter-finalist in Dubai last year against Belinda Bencic.
Bencic with a title to defend
Switzerland’s Belinda Benic was the one who walked away with the WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship title last year. She had had a really tough draw in the tournament as well. She had to get past the likes of Aryna Sablenka, Simon Halep and Elina Svitolina just to reach the final.
Benic took a 3-set win over Petra Kvitova in the final. Things really haven’t gotten going for Bencic in 2020 however, taking a W5 L3 match record for the year.
She won only one match at last week’s St Petersburg event, losing to Maria Sakkari. At 14/1 for a title defence, that may not have too much appeal for punters* (betting odds taken from Bet365 on February 16th, 2020 at 20:33).
Svitolina the one to watch in Dubai?
Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina won back to back Dubai titles in2017 and 2018. Twelve months ago she went ever-so-close to making it three straight finals at the event as well. She, however, lost out to Bencic in the semi-finals.
But Svitolina clearly has a big affinity with this hardcourt tournament and at 11/1 could be a tempter* (betting odds taken from Bet365 on February 16th, 2020 at 20:33).
It could be the event that she needs to ignite her form for 2020, carrying only a W4 L2 match record into the event with her this season.
Pliskova a contender in Dubai
Of course, if Karolina Pliskova is in a field, she is going to be a main contender. She goes as the 11/2 second-favourite* (betting odds taken from Bet365 on February 16th, 2020 at 20:33). Plsikova opened the new year in style, collecting the Brisbane International title just before going into the Australian Open Grand Slam.
She bowed out early in a tight duel with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at Melbourne Park, a huge let down for her as she was one of the front runners for the title. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise to Pliskova her put a good run together here.
Other Contenders
Newly crowned Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin is in the draw as the fifth seed. She is, very interestingly, in the same quarter as Pliskova.
After her immense success in Melbourne, it will be interesting to watch how Kenin handles life on the WTA Tour as a Slam Champion and the American is an 8/1 quote for Dubai* (betting odds taken from Bet365 on February 16th, 2020 at 20:33).
Australian Open runner up Garbine Muguzura is in the draw to oppose Elina Svitolina in the second quarter. She looked totally rejuvenated at Melbourne Park and even though the hard court isn’t her best surface, confidence could for a lot.
Maria Sakkari jumps straight back into action after a semi-final exit at last week’s St Petersburg Ladies tournament. She had beaten Bencic along the way to the final four and she is carrying decent momentum.
Aryna Sabalenka is 7th seed and the hard-hitting Belarusian opens against Sakkari in a mouthwatering contest. That’s up in the first quarter, Halep’s section.
Predictions
The bottom half of the draw is where our pick is going to come from. The top half of the draw has Halep, Svitolina, Muguruza, Sakkari and Sabalenka all squashed in there. Things are far easier down in the bottom half of the draw for the main players.
Bencic is there but hasn’t looked a real threat in this campaign. Sofia Kenin will be entering a whole new arena of pressure now as a Grand Slam champion, and she has a massively tough opener against Elena Rybakina.
So our outright pick has to be Karolina Plsikova. The Czech player really should have what it takes to dominate the bottom half of the draw. All that is in her way could be a potentially tricky quarter against Kenin or Rybakina.
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