Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the WTA 1000 Dubai match.
Elina Avanesyan and Mirra Andreeva will meet for the third time, with the 17-year-old Russian leading their head-to-head 2-0. Andreeva has already broken into the top 15, but her start to the season has been less than ideal. Avanesyan also struggles with consistency, yet she has shown she can put up a fight.
Elina Avanesyan
Avanesyan finished last season in the top 50, but her 2025 record (5-5) shows a lack of consistency. She has only made it past the second round once (Hobart). Her biggest weakness is her serve—she has hit no more than one ace in four of her last five matches. However, she has been involved in long battles, with six of her last nine matches going over 19.5 games.
Mirra Andreeva
The Russian teenager continues her rapid rise up the rankings, having won her first WTA title on clay in Romania last season. She has been solid on hard courts this year, winning 8 out of 11 matches, with six of those going over 19.5 games. Her serve is far more reliable than Avanesyan’s—she hit 17 aces in her last two matches. Additionally, she has been dominant against players outside the top 30, winning five consecutive matches against them.
Elina Avanesyan vs Mirra Andreeva Prediction
Andreeva has already beaten Avanesyan twice, though both matches were on clay. However, both encounters were competitive, with 22 games played in the first and the second match going to a deciding set before Avanesyan retired. This suggests we can expect another tight contest, making the over 19.5 games bet a strong choice.
