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Match details
Fixture: (1) Aryna Sabalenka vs (Q) Marta Kostyuk.
Date: 15 February, 2022.
Tournament: Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2022.
Round: First round (Round of 32).
Venue: Dubai, UAE.
Category: WTA 500.
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt.
Prize money: $703,580.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Marta Kostyuk preview
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka will square off against qualifier Marta Kostyuk in the first round of the 2022 Dubai Tennis Championships.
Sabalenka endured a rough start to the 2022 season, suffering exits in the first and second rounds at the two tournaments in Adelaide. At the Australian Open, she was on the verge of another opening-round loss after losing the first set, but staged a comeback to win in three sets.
Sabalenka once again staged a comeback after dropping the opening set in the next two rounds. She won the first set in the fourth round but went down in three sets after giving veteran Kaia Kanepi a tough fight.
The World No. 2 wasn't at her best in Australia and will be aiming to rediscover her form in Dubai.
Meanwhile, Marta Kostyuk defeated Ellen Perez, Diane Parry and Harriet Dart in qualifying to secure a spot in the main draw of the Dubai Tennis Championships. After needing three sets to overcome her first opponent, the teenager won her next two matches comfortably.
Kostyuk reached the third round of the Australian Open prior to this. It was her second time achieving this feat, having done the same in 2018 in her Grand Slam debut. She set the bar high for herself after that run and has understandably struggled to meet expectations.
However, Kostyuk has been playing well since last year. She reached the fourth round at the 2021 Roland Garros, her best performance at the Majors so far. She broke into the top 50 of the WTA rankings for the first time in her career earlier this month and is currently placed at No. 49. The youngster is hungry for more success and will be keen to make a deep run in Dubai.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Marta Kostyuk head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between Sabalenka and Kostyuk, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Marta Kostyuk prediction
Sabalenka's ranking and accomplishments make her the clear favorite on paper, but the World No. 2 has made a shaky start to the year. She did improve with every match at the Australian Open, but was nowhere close to her best.
The Belarusian will look to regain some form and confidence in Dubai. Against Kostyuk, she still has a decent shot at winning, even at her current level. The teenager is yet to defeat a top 10 player.
However, the Ukrainian has won three qualifying matches and already has some momentum on her side. On the other hand, this will be Sabalenka's first match in three weeks. If the top seed is off to a slow start, Kostyuk could capitalize on it to score a potential upset.
But the World No. 2 has displayed time and again through her numerous comebacks that it's unwise to count her out until the very end.
Prediction: Aryna Sabalenka to win in three sets.
