It promises to be another exciting day of action on the third day at the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships. As ever, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for all 16 matches on the slate, including Coco Gauff vs Elisabetta Cocciaretto. But who will book their spot in the third round in the UAE?
WTA Dubai Day 3 Predictions
Leylah Fernandez vs Jasmine Paolini
Head-to-head: Fernandez 3-0 Paolini
Leylah Fernandez has won all three of this pair’s previous meetings, including a comprehensive 6-3 6-2 victory at the back-end of last season in the Billie Jean King Cup. The Canadian also beat Jasmine Paolini in straight sets in similar conditions in Abu Dhabi in 2021 and Doha last season. Paolini continues to improve on hard courts and comes into the match the higher-ranked player. But it is hard to ignore such a one-sided head-to-head. Paolini may take a set here, but the likeliest outcome is another straight-sets win for Fernandez.
Prediction: Fernandez in 2
Jelena Ostapenko vs Lulu Sun
Head-to-head: first meeting
Jelena Ostapenko has the advantage in terms of experience (by a distance), but the Latvian is so consistently inconsistent that it is difficult to ever say for sure which version of Ostapenko will turn up. Lulu Sun’s chances should be dismissed out of hand either. The Swiss has made a fine start to 2024, arriving in Dubai having won 11 of her first 14 matches and adding a victory over Paula Badosa to that (albeit via the Spaniard’s retirement). Still, in relatively favourable conditions for attacking tennis, Ostapenko should have the measure of Sun.
Prediction: Ostapenko in 2
Karolina Pliskova vs Ashlyn Krueger
Head-to-head: first meeting
Ashlyn Krueger is another player who has made a good start to 2024. She may still be three places short of her career-high ranking of world #73, but she will surely better that mark sooner rather than later. But this is a tough test for her against a player who, though not the force she once was, has been ranked as high as world #1. Karolina Pliskova also looked sharp in beating Zhang Shuai in the first round at the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships, with the conditions in the UAE suiting her first-strike brand of tennis. Krueger is good enough to keep this competitive, but expect Pliskova to have the edge.
Prediction: Pliskova in 3
Iga Swiatek vs Sloane Stephens
Head-to-head: Swiatek 2-0 Stephens
At her very best, Sloane Stephens has the quality to beat Iga Swiatek. Unfortunately, the American has not been able to find her best tennis with any real consistency since winning her first (and so far only) Slam at the US Open seven years ago. Swiatek, in contrast, has been a model of consistency over the last few years and was back to her best last-time out in Doha. If she can maintain that level, expect her to get past Stephens without encountering too many difficulties.
Prediction: Swiatek in 2
Main photo credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
