For the fifth year in a row, we are guaranteed a new champion at the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships. Of the four remaining semifinalists, Elena Rybakina is the only one who has previously contested a title match in this tournament (lost the 2020 final to Simona Halep). Will the Kazakh advance to a second final? Or will Mirra Andreeva continue to punch above her weight?
WTA Dubai Semifinal Predictions
Clara Tauson vs Karolina Muchova
Head-to-head: first meeting
This might be the season where Clara Tauson unlocks her full potential. Having a clean bill of health has provided Tauson with the runway to play frequently and win consistently. She holds the distinction of being the only player to defeat Australian Open champion Madson Keys this season. In five tournaments, Tauson has now reached three semifinals. This will be her first at the WTA 1000 level.
Karolina Muchova was on the brink of defeat in the last 16 against McCartney Kessler. After surviving that rollercoaster match, Muchova ousted last year’s semifinalist Sorana Cirstea in straight sets. It is back-to-back semifinals for the former World No. 8 (she was a semifinalist in Linz). Tauson relies so much on her power game and that is volatile when it is under constant bombardment against transition players like Muchova. The Czech has one of the best all-round games to outsmart opponents and wants this just as much as Tauson.
Prediction: Muchova in 3
Elena Rybakina vs Mirra Andreeva
Head-to-head: Rybakina 1-0 Andreeva
Mirra Andreeva earned her fifth career win against a top-10 player. She is the first player under the age of 18 to beat Iga Swiatek in a WTA match. Andreeva’s hard work in a 6-3 6-3 win was also a historic milestone. The 17-year-old is the youngest-ever Dubai semifinalist. Elena Rybakina, for her part, halted Sofia Kenin’s momentary fightback to prevail 6-2 7-6. It’s her second semifinal in this year’s Middle East Swing (lost to Belinda Bencic in Abu Dhabi). Questions were asked about Rybakina’s mental readiness for the tournament after the WTA upheld the ban on her former coach Stefano Vukov. That has not been a distraction as far as she is concerned.
However, Andreeva’s confidence is palpable after besting Swiatek. Her composure under pressure is probably an underrated asset in her game. This is fast becoming a familiar stage for her, so she won’t be rattled to face a second top-10 opponent in succession.
Prediction: Andreeva in 3
Main Photo Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
