Top seed in Dubai is keen to dethrone Sabalenka as the World No. 1 in 2026.
After the withdrawal of Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, reigning Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina headlined a strong field at the WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2026. The top seed will start her campaign against unseeded Australian Kimberly Birrell on Tuesday. While the Kazakh veteran is eyeing her second title of the year this week, her opponent is yet to complete a tour-level championship run throughout her career. Today, we are looking to break down this key match-up for you to place the best bets.
Elena Rybakina wiped out some direct competitors like Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka en route to her second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open 2026. Currently ranked No. 3 in the world, the 26-year-old has made it clear that she is eyeing the top ranking this year. With a win-loss record of 401-164 to back up her 12 singles championships, Rybakina is undoubtedly one of the most feared competitors on the circuit. She is also the defending champion at the WTA Finals, and reached the quarterfinals of her most recent event in Doha.
Elena Rybakina on chasing the #1 ranking in 2026:
"It's definitely a goal. But it depends how the other players compete & what the results are gonna be. The season is so long. There’s no time to stop. You need to improve every day."
Kimberly Birrell has a 50% success rate in 2026, which includes a thrilling 6-4 3-6 7-5 win over Tatjana Maria in the Round of 64 here in Dubai. A former Top-60 starlet with seven ITF trophies under her belt, Birrell has been on the professional circuit for over a decade now. Her best run at the majors came at the Australian Open 2019 where she made the Round of 32. The World No. 94 has earned 264 wins out of her 481 recorded matches, and finished as the runner-up in two WTA-250 events. At 27 years of age, Birrell is looking to win her first tour-level title this season.
According to the tennis betting odds on BetMGM, Elena Rybakina (-1250) is the favorite to progress to the pre-quarterfinals in Dubai. Kimberly Birrell (+700) has been given very unfavorable odds ahead of this marquee contest. Here’s how we are betting on this Round of 32 match-up at the Dubai Tennis Championships 2026, including our best bets, supporting odds and a set-score prop for bigger prices.
Tournament & Round: WTA Dubai Tennis Championships 2026, Round of 32
Surface: Outdoor Hard Court
Format: Women’s Singles, Best of Three Sets
Date & Start Time: February 17,
Court: Center Court, Aviation Club Tennis Centre
Best Bet: Elena Rybakina -6.5 Games @ -106 as per BetMGM
BetMGM
All in one gambling website
Reputable gambling name
Multiple betting features including live streaming
21+. AZ/CO/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA/MD/MA/MI/NJ/OH/PA/TN/ VA/WV/WY only. Offer not available in DC/MS/NV/NY/PR. New customers only. Qualifying deposit (min $10) and first real money wager required. If qualifying bet settles as a loss, user is refunded 100% in non-withdrawable bonus bets up to $1,500. Full T&Cs can be found on betmgm.com.
Elena Rybakina vs Kimberly Birrell Betting Odds
Given below are the latest odds for Elena Rybakina vs Kimberly Birrell from the top sportsbooks. We are looking at the match money line, game handicap and total games, plus some set betting markets where available.
Elena Rybakina vs Kimberly Birrell Predictions & Picks
Our Pick: Elena Rybakina -6.5 Games at -106 Odds
Owing to her ruthless aggression and baseline superiority, Rybakina is an outright leader in all the markets for this Round of 32 encounter. Birrell does not have the accuracy and stamina to consistently keep in touching distance with her opposition and push them behind the baseline. While her game style was suited to beat a defensive pusher like Maria, the World No. 3 is someone who does not let you breathe on court. With a first serve percentage of 57% this year and a success rate in 85% service games, she can knock her counterparts off the court in the blink of an eye.
New customers only. Must be 21+ in most jurisdictions, but 18+ in DC, KY, and WY. Offer is valid only in eligible regulated states/jurisdictions and not available in AR; void where prohibited. First online real-money wager only; cashed-out or bonus-funded bets are excluded.
In terms of the set props and match result odds, betting on Rybakina is going to yield significantly negative odds. To minimize the loss, an unexpected bet on the game handicap could be the smart choice on Tuesday. Assuming the Kazakh No. 1 does not get broken more than once and makes inroads on 4-5 service games of Birrell, she is likely to emerge victorious with -5.5 to 7.5 on the game handicap. This is why we are predicting an estimated 6-2 6-3 success for the Australian Open champ, making a handicap of -6.5 games at -106 the best bet.
Elena Rybakina Recent Form
Qatar Open 2026: Quarterfinal
Australian Open 2026: Winner
Brisbane International 2026: Quarterfinal
Kimberly Birrell Recent Form
Qatar Open 2026: Qualifying
Australian Open 2026: Round of 128
Adelaide International 2026: Semifinal
Brisbane International 2026: Round of 32
Elena Rybakina vs Kimberly Birrell Head to Head Record
The head-to-head record between Elena Rybakina and Kimberly Birrell stands at 1-0 in favor of the two-time Grand Slam champion. She earned a straight sets win over the Aussie sensation at the 2025 Billie Jean Cup qualifiers.
Event
Round
Winner
Score
2025 BJK Cup
Round Robin
Elena Rybakina
6-3 7-6(4)
How to Watch Elena Rybakina vs Kimberly Birrell at the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships 2026?
The WTA Dubai Tennis Championships 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.
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.
My message to the readers is not to be shy to express themselves – regardless of whether it is playing, talking or writing about sport. And if you’re a fan of Roger Federer, Lionel Messi and/or Stephen Curry – I’m your guy.
