WTA Dubai 2023: Rybakina vs Andreescu Tennis Prediction & Pick

TennisSection previews the 2023 WTA Dubai Tennis Championships as Elena Rybakina takes on Bianca Andreescu in the first round on Monday, February 20, 2023.

Elena Rybakina will be in search of her first title of the season at the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships. But the power-hitting Kazakh has landed one of the trickiest openers in Bianca Andreescu. Who will prevail?

Elena Rybakina is a former finalist at the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships. She famously played a nailbiter of a final against Simona Halep three years ago, the same season that Rybakina rose to prominence at Tour level. With a Grand Slam to her name and a top-10 ranking, Rybakina will be looking to win her first title of the season. She has won eight of her 12 matches in 2023, a stat that includes a runner-up finish at the Australian Open.

Bianca Andreescu, meanwhile, continues to be hampered by injuries. The Canadian’s schedule has been somewhat dynamic with tweaks and change of plans depending on how her body responds. This explains why Andreescu is taking a lot longer to reach the upper echelons of the women’s game. She hasn’t played since losing in the first round of the Abu Dhabi Open to Yulia Putintseva. Incredibly, this will be her main draw debut at the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships.

Elena Rybakina leads Bianca Andreescu 1-0 in their head-to-head. She won their second-round meeting at Wimbledon last year in straight sets en route to her first Grand Slam triumph. Andreescu’s fitness always poses a huge question mark and more so in a match against a top-level opponent. With her appalling injury record, it’s hard to side with the Canadian here. Rybakina will likely eke out another straight-sets win.