Paula Badosa at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on February 16, 2026.

Spain’s Paula Badosa delivered a confident performance on Centre Court to defeat Katerina Siniakova 6-3, 7-5 and move into the Round of 32 in Dubai. On Monday (February 16), the Dubai resident handled the tricky Czech opponent with composed aggression, sealing victory in straight sets to set up a high-profile meeting with seventh seed Elina Svitolina, champion in 2017 and 2018. “Katerina's a very tricky opponent, she’s won a lot of matches and I was expecting a tough battle,” Badosa said. “I’m really pleased with my performance today. I tried to stay in there as she increased her level, it was very intense. I was trying to go for my shots, be aggressive, just trying to stay in the points as long as possible and wait for opportunities. I really look forward to playing here – I'm like a local now.” Badosa will play against Svitolina at Court 1 on Tuesday afternoon (February 17), after the 2pm match between Antonia Ruzi and Anastasia Zakharova on the same court. The upcoming clash promises to be one of the standout matches of the early rounds as the WTA 1000 tournament gathers momentum. PIA/Expat Media ALSO READ: Watch free Dubai tennis at Court 1
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