Top seed Jasmine Paolini will contend with Australia’s Priscilla Hon in the 2026 WTA Merida Open Round of 16 on Thursday. The Italian has faced an underwhelming start to the 2026 season, losing early in all her tournaments thus far. Despite the surprising failures, the World No. 7 will start as the favorite against Hon. The Australian is aiming to win her first tour-level title and return to the Top-100 in the process. Whoever wins this clash is set to take on the winner of Katie Boulter v Camila Osorio in the quarterfinals.
Two-time Grand Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini is a former doubles World No. 3 and Olympic champion in women’s doubles. The 30-year-old turned pro in 2015, before climbing up the rankings post 2023. With three singles trophies and 10 doubles championships to her name, Paolini remains one of the best multi-category WTA starlets at present. Her 3-4 record this year does not do justice to the vastly commendable 60% success rate she has garnered throughout her singles career.
Marina Stakusic was forced to leave the court in a wheelchair after suffering an injury 🤕
Superb sportsmanship from opponent Priscilla Hon, who helped every step of the way 💙 pic.twitter.com/kwfMDU2JOj
Priscilla Hon achieved her career-best Grand Slam finish by making Round-3 at the 2025 US Open. With 13 trophies each in singles and doubles on the ITF Tour, the 27-year-old from Brisbane has been known as a bright prospect for years now. While her form has not materialized into significant success on the WTA circuit, Hon is a Fed Cup finalist with multiple Top-20 snap ups. She is currently ranked No. 136 in the world, and defeated Renata Zarazua 6-2 2-6 6-4 in the Round of 32.
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According to the tennis betting odds on BetMGM, Jasmine Paolini (-360) is the favorite and Priscilla Hon (+265) is the underdog in this pre-quarterfinal contest on Mexican soil. Here’s how we are betting on the match-up between Paolini and Hon at the WTA Merida Open Akron 2026, including our best bets, supporting odds and a set-score prop for bigger prices.
Tournament & Round: WTA Merida Open Akron 2026, Round of 16
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Given below are the latest odds for Jasmine Paolini vs Priscilla Hon from the top sportsbooks. We are looking at the match money line, game handicap and total games, plus some set betting markets where available.
Jasmine Paolini vs Priscilla Hon Predictions & Picks
Our Pick: Total Games Under 20.5 at -122 Odds.
Every metric ahead of this match-up is in favor of No. 1 seed Jasmine Paolini. Although she has failed to make a positive start to 2026, the Italian is still outshining Hon in terms of major serve and return statistics. She has a higher service game success rate (62% vs 53%), return points won (44% vs 35%) and first serve accuracy (63% vs 62%). Under the warm conditions in Mexico, Paolini is much better at injecting pace and redirecting the ball to get the win. This is why the total game count is unlikely to go past the 20.5 mark.
Jasmine Paolini Recent Form
Dubai Open 2026: Round of 32
Qatar Open 2026: Round of 32
Australian Open 2026: Round of 32
United Cup 2026: Round Robin (1-1)
Priscilla Hon Recent Form
Dubai Open 2026: Qualifying
Qatar Open 2026: Qualifying
Abu Dhabi Open 2026: Qualifying
Australian Open 2026: Round of 64
Brisbane International 2026: Qualifying
Jasmine Paolini vs Priscilla Hon Head to Head Record
There is no available head-to-head record between Jasmine Paolini and Priscilla Hon as of now. The Round of 16 encounter at the 2026 Mérida Open Akron is set to be their first meeting on the WTA Tour.
How to Watch Jasmine Paolini vs Priscilla Hon at the WTA Merida Open Akron 2026?
The WTA Merida Open Akron 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.
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