Jessica Pegula vs Elina Svitolina Dubai Prediction 2/21/2026 Today’s Tennis Picks

Jessica Pegula faces former champion Elina Svitolina in the final of the Dubai Championships on Saturday, February 21. Here’s our Jessica Pegula vs Elina Svitolina prediction. This preview will also include a Jessica Pegula vs Elina Svitolina pick.

Jessica Pegula vs Elina Svitolina Preview

Jessica Pegula reached her 21st career singles final in Dubai with a gutsy come-from-behind victory against compatriot Amanda Anisimova. Anisimova came out of the blocks with a strong serving performance in the first set, which she won 6-1 in 29 minutes. It looked like Pegula was bound to lose in straight sets when she dropped her serve at the start of the second set. But the turnaround took many by surprise.

Pegula broke Anisimova three times shortly after to level the match. Anisimova, who came through a grueling quarterfinal against Andreeva, began wilting in the third set, and Pegula sensed this. She broke Anisimova’s serve in the fourth game and held in each of her next three games to complete a 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 win in two hours. Pegula is a three-time champion at the WTA 1000 level and will seek her first title in this category since winning in Toronto in 2024.

Elina Svitolina, meanwhile, beat Coco Gauff in a thrilling semifinal to reach her third career final in Dubai. It’s the tournament in which Svitolina has reached the most finals in her career and did so in a dramatic way. Svitolina was on course for a straight-sets win, but could not convert four match points in the second set tiebreak, which Gauff won 15-13.

The Ukrainian trailed by a break at the start of the third set, but she managed to rescue the situation and broke back. The match stayed on serve until the 10th game when she broke Gauff and finally took her sixth match point for a 6-4, 6-7, 6-4 in three hours and six minutes. Svitolina owns a 15-2 record this year and is chasing her second title of the season after winning in Auckland last month.

Jessica Pegula vs Elina Svitolina Head-To-Head

Pegula and Svitolina have met eight times. Pegula leads the series 5-3 and won their last meeting in the Middle East at the 2025 Qatar Open in straight sets.

Jessica Pegula vs Elina Svitolina Prediction

Pegula and Svitolina were the two best players this week, but I’m siding with the American here. Her consistency over the last few months has been off the charts. She had made a semifinal in every tournament since the US Open, and it’s only fitting she will finally get a chance to contest for the title in a one-off match. Svitolina is coming off two punishing three-setters and Pegula will just be in a better spot physically to get her hands on her fourth WTA 1000.

Nur Said's Pick: Jessica Pegula in three sets