Join us as we give you the lowdown on the thrilling final of the Dubai Duty Free Championship happening on Saturday 24 February at 17:00.
If there’s one thing common about many WTA Tour finals, it’s the strong Eastern European presence, and the Dubai final is no exception. However, this exciting matchup goes beyond geography, featuring the formidable defending champion and heavy favourite, Elina Svitolina, facing off against the tenacious and rising star, Daria Kasatkina.
The young Russian sensation has already made waves by knocking out giants like Garbine Muguruza and Johanna Konta, signalling that she could be on the verge of an incredible career breakthrough in Dubai.
Winning Odds
Daria Kasatkina: 5/2
Elina Svitolina: 1/3
Daria Kasatkina has been the tournament’s thrilling dark horse. She battled through an intimidating draw to reach the final, overcoming a former World Number 2, Radwanska, followed by a grueling three-hour epic against Johanna Konta. After dispatching fellow Russian Elena Vesnina, Kasatkina stunned the tennis world by defeating World Number 3 Garbine Muguruza, saving multiple match points with outstanding resilience. Her semifinal run in St Petersburg earlier this year hinted at this level of performance. Though her trophy cabinet lists one WTA and seven ITF titles, a Dubai title would mark her biggest career achievement yet.
Defending champion Elina Svitolina has shown why she’s the player to beat in this event, handling a tough test against two-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber with composure in the semifinals. Known for her big-hitting game, Svitolina often shines in events like this, though Grand Slams have seen her struggle to make a breakthrough. She faced some early challenges, needing three sets to overcome Qiang Wang in her opener, but then cruised past Naomi Osaka and Angelique Kerber to reinforce her status as the favourite. Coming off a win in Brisbane and a solid quarter-final run at the Australian Open, Svitolina aims to claim her second title of the year.
Historically, Svitolina holds a 2-0 edge over Kasatkina, both on hardcourts — at New Haven in 2016 and the Canadian Masters last year. This head-to-head stats, combined with Kasatkina’s strenuous path to the final that included marathon matches, suggests Svitolina is the logical favourite to take the title in Dubai.
Final Prediction: Elina Svitolina at 1/3
Though the odds may not be appealing to some, a bet on Svitolina looks like a solid call for this final. Expect the defending champ to extend her dominance and secure this prestigious title once again.
Written by Damien Kayat for @Hollywoodbets.net
