Match Details
Fixture: Coco Gauff vs Anna Kalinskaya
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Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Tournament: Dubai Tennis Championships 2026
Round: Second round
Category: WTA 1000
Venue: Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Surface: Hard (outdoor)
Prize Money: $4,088,211 (total prize pool)
Live Telecast: USA – Tennis Channel | UK – Sky Sports | Canada – TSN, TVA Sports, DAZN, WTA TV
Coco Gauff vs Anna Kalinskaya preview
Coco Gauff and Anna Kalinskaya are set to lock horns in a high-profile second-round clash at the ongoing WTA 1000 event of the 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships.
Gauff is the third seed in Dubai and received a first-round bye, but the 21-year-old American heads into her opening match at the tournament on the back of two chastening losses. The first of those came in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, where Elina Svitolina defeated her 6-1, 6-2, and the second in Doha, with Elisabetta Cocciaretto stunning the two-time singles Major champion 6-4, 6-2.
Meanwhile, Kalinskaya, a former World No. 11, following a promising quarterfinal run in Doha, began her Dubai campaign with a stellar comeback victory over Jelena Ostapenko.
Coco Gauff vs Anna Kalinskaya head-to-head
Kalinskaya won the only competitive match she has played against Gauff, and interestingly, this particular encounter took place two years ago in the quarterfinals in Dubai itself. On the day, the Russian found herself a set down to the American but recovered remarkably to win the contest 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Coco Gauff vs Anna Kalinskaya odds
(Odds via BetMGM)
Coco Gauff vs Anna Kalinskaya prediction
On paper, Gauff looks the favorite to beat Kalinskaya in Dubai this time around and progress to the third round. However, the American’s recent on-court reality suggests she is nowhere near her best, with her serve and forehand struggles persisting and there to be taken advantage of.
The fact that Kalinskaya has already played a match in Dubai this year, coupled with her 2024 quarterfinal win over Gauff, should make the Russian confident about her chances of making it three straight losses for the World No. 4. The American though, should still be the one to secure the win if she can produce her signature athleticism and keep her serve and forehand issues in check.
Pick: Gauff to win in three sets.
Coco Gauff vs Anna Kalinskaya betting tips
Tip 1: Given Gauff’s tendency to start strong but struggle with service consistency under pressure, a comeback win for Kalinskaya is a high-reward play.
Tip 2: Both players are strong on hard courts and have shown a recent history of three-set matches.
Edited by Sudipto Pati
