All you need to know about the pre-quarterfinal in Abu Dhabi.
In a first time meeting on the WTA circuit, World No. 9 Belinda Bencic will face British title hope Sonay Kartal in the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open 2026 Round of 16 on Wednesday. The Swiss starlet defeated Kartal’s national compatriot Katie Boulter at the recently concluded Australian Open before making a premature exit. Meanwhile, the Briton has come through qualifying to get to this stage of the competition. With a spot in the quarterfinals up for grabs, who will hold the trump cards in this marquee clash?
Top seed Belinda Bencic was crowned the MVP of the United Cup 2026, where she went unbeaten en route to a runner-up finish with Team Switzerland. The 28-year-old is a former Olympic gold medalist who has been ranked as high as No. 4 in the world. With 10 singles trophies and two Grand Slam semifinal finishes to her name, Bencic has a career win-loss record of 436-223. She continues to inspire the next generation with her riveting return to the Top-10 after giving birth in 2024.
Belinda Bencic and Elina Svitolina make history as two mothers occupy the WTA Top 10 for the first time ever 🥹📈 pic.twitter.com/4zpykR2eGH
With three consecutive straight set victories from the qualifying event, Sonay Kartal is a potent challenger in this clash. At the age of 24, this fearless British sensation has already grabbed a tour-level title and entered the Top-50. Prior to the Middle Eastern swing, Kartal reached the quarterfinals of the ASB Classic before being eliminated in Round-1 at Melbourne Park. The World No. 61 is currently the second best player from her country as per the rankings.
According to the tennis betting odds on BetMGM, Belinda Bencic is the clear favorite to win this encounter with odds of -230 on the moneyline. Sonay Kartal will assume the tag of the underdog with +180 pre-match odds. Here’s how we are betting on the Round of 16 clash between Bencic and Kartal, including our best bets, supporting odds and a set-score prop for bigger prices.
Tournament & Round: WTA Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open 2026, Round of 16
Surface: Outdoor Hard Court
Format: Women’s Singles, Best of Three Sets
Date & Start Time: February 4,
Court: Stadium Court, Zayed Sports City International Tennis Centre
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Given below are the latest odds for Belinda Bencic vs Sonay Kartal from the top sportsbooks. We are looking at the match money line, game handicap and total games, plus some set betting markets where available.
Belinda Bencic vs Sonay Kartal Predictions & Picks
Our Pick: Total Games Under 20.5 at +100
While the markets are giving Sonay Kartal a fair shot at potentially challenging Belinda Bencic, we are predicting a straightforward progression for the reigning Wimbledon semifinalist. She has made a rapid start to her hard court campaign this year, winning six out of seven matches. Moreover, the warm conditions in Abu Dhabi will make the ball travel quicker through the court. Having made over 71% first serves in 2026, Bencic will adopt the serve plus one tactic and keep the points short to choke Kartal.
The key for the Briton will be to slow down the pace of the game. In Australia, Bencic countered the raw force of Boulter in dismissive fashion. Kartal must look to move her opponents from side to side, making the most of her slice which can generate revs. She likes to go wide on her serves to open up the court, and her 80% success rate on service games is testament to this strategy. While we sense a dominant win for Bencic, expect some shifts in momentum and a plethora of service breaks.
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Belinda Bencic Recent Form
Australian Open 2026: Round of 64
United Cup 2026: 5-0 (Runner-Up)
Hong Kong Tennis Open 2025: Quarterfinal
Pan Pacific Open 2025: Winner
Ningbo Open 2025: Quarterfinal
Sonay Kartal Recent Form
Australian Open 2026: Round of 128
ASB Classic 2026: Quarterfinal
China Open 2025: Quarterfinal
BJK Cup Finals 2025: 0-1
US Open 2025: Round of 128
Belinda Bencic vs Sonay Kartal Head to Head Record
The head-to-head between Bencic and Kartal stands at 0-0 ahead of their pre-quarterfinal in Abu Dhabi. There is no prior record of their rivalry on the WTA Tour.
How to Watch Belinda Bencic vs Sonay Kartal at the Abu Dhabi Open 2026?
The WTA Abu Dhabi Open 2026 can be streamed live on various platforms and channels, depending on which part of the world you are watching from. This includes Tennis Channel, WTA TV, TSN, DAZN, ESPN International, beIN Sports, Setanta Sports, Sky Sports and SuperSport.
Some Abu Dhabi results:
Last year's finalist Ashlyn Krueger lost to (Q) Sara Bejlek 6-3 6-0.
(Q) Sonay Kartal beat Bucsa 6-3 7-6(8) to book R2 vs defending champ and top seed Bencic.
#8 seed Paula Badosa fell to LL Sasnovich 6-4 3-6 6-1
A passionate sports fan through and through, I am currently pursuing my MA in Global Sports Journalism. I specialise in tennis and football writing at The Playoffs News, and I have prior experience working at EssentiallySports and Sportskeeda. Born and raised in Bengaluru, India, sport was my safe space right from my childhood. After trying my hand at multiple sports and representing my educational institutions in cricket, badminton and table tennis, I found sports media to be my calling.
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