Coco Gauff vs. Elise Mertens Prediction, Odds, Best Bets & How to Watch
Third seed Coco Gauff faces Elise Mertens in the third round of the 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships, with Gauff entering as world No. 4 and Mertens ranked No. 22 in singles. Gauff received a first-round bye before defeating Anna Kalinskaya in straight sets, while Mertens advanced with straight-set wins over Marie Bouzkova and 14th seed Emma Navarro.
From a statistical standpoint, Gauff holds clear advantages on return and overall rally pressure. In 2025, she won 47.6% of return points and converted 53.3% of break points across 78 matches. Mertens, while solid across the board, posted lower return-point production (43.8%) and break-point conversion (49.5%) over a similar sample. Here, serve efficiency slightly favors Mertens, but without a meaningful edge.
Gauff d. Anna Kalinskaya 6-4 6-4 in Dubai
After losing to Anna at this event in 2024, Coco gets revenge.
Still not playing her best tennis, but finding a way to win.
Form entering Dubai is mixed for both. Gauff’s recent results include a Wuhan title, a Beijing semifinal, and an Australian Open quarterfinal, though she exited early in Doha. Mertens opened 2026 with early singles losses but arrived in Dubai in better rhythm after two controlled wins this week. Head-to-head history favors Gauff at 4-0, with wins across multiple surfaces, suggesting a stable matchup edge.
For today’s tennis picks, here’s how we’re betting on Coco Gauff vs. Elise Mertens today, including our Best Bet, supporting angles, and a set-score prop for bigger prices.
Tournament & Round: Dubai Tennis Championships, Round of 16 (R16)
Surface: Outdoor Hard Court
Format: Best of Three Sets
Date & Start Time: February 18, Not Before 7:00 PM GST Local Time
21+ and present in AZ/CO/CT/IA/IL/IN/KS/LA (permitted parishes only) /MA/MD/MI/NJ/NY/OH/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY. Minimum $10 first deposit required. Promotion Bonus will be credited to your account within 72 hours settlement of Qualifying Wager. First online real money wager only (minimum $5). Bonus issued as non-withdrawable bonus bets that expires in 14 days. Bonus bets and NFL Sunday Ticket code will be issued within 72 hours of bet placement. See full terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com.
Coco Gauff vs. Elise Mertens Odds
Given below are the latest odds for Coco Gauff vs. Elise Mertens from the top sportsbooks. We are looking at the match money line, game handicap, and total games, plus some set betting markets where available.
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Coco Gauff vs. Elise Mertens Prediction & Picks
Our Pick: Coco Gauff -3.5 Games (-126, FanDuel)
The moneyline correctly prices Gauff as the superior player, but -230 offers little efficiency given Mertens’ ability to hold serve and stretch sets. Gauff’s edge comes from return pressure rather than overwhelming first-strike tennis, which historically leads to breaks.
That makes the -3.5 game handicap the most balanced choice. Gauff’s return-point advantage and head-to-head dominance suggest she can generate enough breaks to cover this number. The price sits in a reasonable range relative to the implied probability.
Coco Gauff Recent Form
Beijing – Semifinal
Wuhan – Title
WTA Finals – Group Stage
Australian Open – Quarterfinal
Doha – R32
Coco Gauff after beating Kalinskaya in Dubai
“That was a rematch from 2024. What do you think you did differently this time to change that result?”
Coco: “Just trying to be more positive. It wasn’t the prettiest win but it was enough today… Thank you guys for coming to support… pic.twitter.com/xRfesoftWu
Coco Gauff has the lead 4-0 in her head-to-head against Elise Mertens, with wins coming across hard, clay, and grass. Though Mertens did win two sets in total, ten sets, offering resistance but not enough to stop Gauff.
Year
Winner
Event
Round
Score
2024
Coco Gauff
Indian Wells
Round of 16
6-0, 6-2
2023
Coco Gauff
US Open
Round of 32
3-6, 6-3, 6-0
2022
Coco Gauff
Roland Garros
Round of 16
6-4, 6-0
2021
Coco Gauff
Eastbourne
Round of 32
0-6, 7-6(4), 7-5
Final Score Prediction & Set-Betting Prop
Projection: Coco Gauff wins in straight sets.
Higher Variance Set Bet: Coco Gauff 2-0 (+105, FanDuel). Given that this is a high-risk bet, it is recommended to use this as a secondary angle.
21+ and present in AZ/CO/CT/IA/IL/IN/KS/LA (permitted parishes only) /MA/MD/MI/NJ/NY/OH/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY. Minimum $10 first deposit required. Promotion Bonus will be credited to your account within 72 hours settlement of Qualifying Wager. First online real money wager only (minimum $5). Bonus issued as non-withdrawable bonus bets that expires in 14 days. Bonus bets and NFL Sunday Ticket code will be issued within 72 hours of bet placement. See full terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com.
How can I watch Coco Gauff vs. Elise Mertens on TV and live stream?
TV broadcasters for the 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships include Tennis Channel (USA, Spain, and India), TSN / TVA (Canada), Sky Sports (UK & Ireland and much of Europe), and beIN Sports / DAZN (Middle East, Australia, France, and Europe).
Streaming options vary by region and often require subscriptions. Live streaming is available on Tennis TV (official ATP/WTA streaming platform), beIN CONNECT (Middle East/Asia), ESPN+ (some regions), streaming platforms of Sky Go/NOW TV, DAZN app, TSN app, and Tennis Channel Plus.
Match
Coco Gauff vs. Elise Mertens
Date
February 18, 2026
Start Time
Not Before 7:00 PM GST Local Time
Tournament
Dubai Tennis Championships 2026
Event Type
Women’s Singles (WTA 1000)
Surface
Outdoor Hard Court
Court
Aviation Club Tennis Centre, Dubai, UAE
TV Coverage
Tennis Channel (USA, Spain, India), TSN / TVA (Canada), Sky Sports (UK & Ireland and much of Europe), beIN Sports / DAZN (Middle East, Australia, France, Europe)
Live Streaming
Tennis TV (official ATP/WTA streaming platform), beIN CONNECT (Middle East/Asia), ESPN+ (some regions ), streaming platforms of Sky Go / NOW TV, DAZN app, TSN app, Tennis Channel Plus.
I’m an academic turned sports writer from Raipur, India, specializing in the NFL, MMA, and tennis at The Playoffs. I previously wrote for Sportskeeda and hold a B.A. and M.A. in History. My journey into sports media began far from the field, rooted in the arts and sciences. Funny enough, I didn’t grow up a sports fan; I used to see it all as just noise. But a fateful writing job introduced me to the world of sports, and what began as a gig quickly became a passion. I understood those voices aren’t noise; they’re emotions of true sports fans, and now I am one of them, writing with the same energy I once questioned.
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