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Emma Navarro in action ahead of the French Open.
February 17, 2026 By  Best Bets, WTA

WTA Dubai Best Bets Including Iva Jovic vs Diana Shnaider

The second round of action at WTA Dubai promises quality action up and down the match card. The vast majority of the matches in the second round feature fairly close odds between the two participants, except for four matches with 3-1 or higher odds. LWOS is here to provide you with odds on select matches. Please leave your thoughts and match bets in the comment section.     

WTA Dubai

Bencic – Bejlek: Time 09:30

H2H: 0-0

Belinda Bencic meets Sara Bejlek for the first time in her career. Bencic is 7-1 this year, and Bejlek is 9-2, including a tournament title at WTA Abu Dhabi. This is only Bencic’s second tournament of the season. Most of her wins came in WTA United Cup matches, but she did beat her first-round opponent at the WTA Australian Open, only to lose the match right after. Bejlek may not have done well at the Australian Open or Auckland before it, but Bejlek has won every match since.             

Best Bet to Make

Bencic is no. 13 in the World and 7-1 in 2026. Bencic is a 2.67-1.47 favorite, on average. If you’re betting on Bencic straight up, you’re not going to get her any higher than 1.5 on any site. It’s largely not even worth it. If you think she’s going to beat Bejlek 2:0, you can have her for 2.2 on bet365. If you think this match is likely to go beyond 21 games, then grab the over on 21 games for 1.9 on 10Bet. That’s likely the safest large bet.

That being said, Over 21 games is a value bet for sure.

Value bet/the best odds: Over 21 games @1.9 @10Bet

Mertens – Navarro: Time 09:30

H2H: 0-2

Elise Mertens and Emma Navarro will meet for the third time in Dubai. Navarro won both of their prior matches, including a 2024 WTA Hobart final in three sets. Her other win came at the 2024 WTA Doha tournament, which finished in straight sets. Mertens is 8-3 in 2026, with losses to Darya Kasatkina, Elena Rybakina, and Belinda Bencic. Navarro is 4-5 with losses to Anna Kalinskaya, Hailey Baptiste, Magda Linette, Diana Shnaider, and Francesca Jones.

Jan 23, 2026; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Iva Jovic of United States celebrates her victory over Jasmine Paolini of Italy in the third round of the women’s singles at the Australian Open at John Cain Arena in Melbourne Park. Mandatory Credit: Mike … | Source: Lastwordonsports.com - Yesh Ginsburg

Best Bet to Make

Only two places separate no. 22 in the World, Elise Mertens, from no. 19 in the World, Emma Navarro. 2.2-1.66 is the average line for this match, with .67 being the largest odds I’ve seen. Whether or not Navarro suddenly kickstarts her season is still up in the air, but I think it’s rather unlikely against Mertens. While Mertens has not beaten Navarro, she is vastly superior on a hardcourt throughout her career. At 286-150, Mertens has more wins than Navarro hardcourt matches.

That being said,  Paolini winning is a value bet for sure.

Value bet/the best odds: Paolini winning @1.5 @Pinnacle

Jovic Shnaider: Time 09:30

H2H: 0-1

Iva Jovic and Diana Shnadier meet for the second time in our featured match. Jovic is 12-3 in 2026, with a quarterfinal, semifinal, and final appearance thus far. Shnaider is 7-4 in ’26, with only a single semifinal appearance. She has yet to manage more than a single win per tournament in February. Jovic has an enormous amount of talent in her game. At just 18, she has the potential to be one of the best American players in the women’s game. 

Best Bet to Make

Jovic is the favorite in this match by about a half-point, and I agree with the line. Shnaider deserves respect for her game, but Jovic has all the potential in the world to become incredible. She needs to turn these deep tournament runs into wins and titles. Shnaider might be one spot behind her in the World rankings, but she must improve a lot before she is considered among the elite. 2024 is getting further and further away from Shnaider right now. Give me Jovic 2:0 for 2.75 on bet365.

That being said, Jovic winning 2:0 is a value bet for sure.

Value bet/the best odds: Jovic winning 2:0 @2.75 @bet365

Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey–USA TODAY Sports

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