Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova vs Barbora Krejcikova Preview & Prediction | 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships | First Round

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Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova takes on Barbora Krejcikova in the first-round of the Dubai Tennis Championships.

Ranking points: WTA 1000

Start date/time:

Venue: Aviation Club Tennis Centre, Dubai, UAE

Surface: Outdoor hard

How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports Tennis / USA – Tennis Channel

How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / USA – Tennis Channel

Tickets: Visit this link for the latest Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova vs Barbora Krejcikova ticket information

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova vs Barbora Krejcikova prediction

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is still searching for her first tour-level win of the season after starting the year with four straight losses. An early defeat in Brisbane was followed by a first-round exit at the Australian Open to Zhuoxuan Bai. Having made the quarter-finals in Melbourne last year, Pavlyuchenkova tumbled down the rankings and is now outside the top 100. She followed that up with losses in Abu Dhabi and Doha to McCartney Kessler and Elise Mertens respectively.

Barbora Krejcikova is making her first appearance on the tour since the Australian Open. Krejcikova seemed to be nursing a knee problem as she lost in the first-round to Diana Shnaider in three sets. The two-time Grand Slam singles champion struggled with injuries last season.

This is a rematch of the 2021 French Open final, which saw Krejcikova defeat Pavlyuchenkova over three sets. Neither player has truly got going yet in 2026, but if the Czech is healthy, she will be the clear favourite to get through.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova vs Barbora Krejcikova tip: Barbora Krejcikova to win