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Dubai Tennis Predictions: Naomi Osaka vs Kristina Mladenovic

By Harry Floyd

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 26: Naomi Osaka of Japan serves in her Women's Singles Final match against Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic during day 13 of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 26, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 26: Naomi Osaka of Japan serves in her Women's Singles Final match against Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic during day 13 of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 26, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images) /
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Naomi Osaka is the top seed and favorite this month at the Dubai Tennis Championships. She takes on a tough opponent in Kristina Mladenovic.

Naomi Osaka is seemingly unstoppable right now on the WTA Tour. She has overtaken women’s singles tennis, rocketing up to the world number one ranking. Winning back to back Grand Slam titles at both the US Open and the Australian Open, Osaka is on fire.

It is so so so hard to bet against Osaka currently. She enters the Dubai Tennis Championships as the top seed and favorite to take the title. Up first though is Kristina Mladenovic.

Read. Bouchard 2019 Predictions. light

Last year, the two players met for the very first time in a women’s singles match at the very same event. Osaka took the match in straight sets and should be considered the favorite in their upcoming match this week.

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While the top seed is our pick to win, it could take three sets to do so. Mladenovic is coming off of an impressive opening round win in Dubai. She defeats Fatma Al-Nabhani with ease, winning 6-1, 6-1. She has momentum and poses a huge threat to Osaka next.

Elsewhere in Dubai, here is a look at some of the early round winners and losers. Some players to watch beyond Osaka and Mladenovic include the likes of former world number one Simona Halep, second seeded Petra Kvitova, and German great Angelique Kerber.

Osaka takes on Mladenovic Tuesday at the Dubai Tennis Championships. If she can manage the upsets over Osaka, Mladenovic would do wonders to improve her chances on the 2019 WTA Tour. The French tennis star has gone as high as the world number 10 ranking in women’s singles tennis but has struggled as of late.

Mladenovic enters Dubai as the current world number 67 and a deep run will prove that she can contend at big tournaments. In doubles though, Mladenovic has maintained her place among the best players on tour. It could be just a matter of time until that play translates back to singles.

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All eyes are on Naomi Osaka right now on the WTA Tour. Her upcoming meeting with Mladenovic is her first match following a historic Australian Open win. Stay tuned to see if the top seed and favorite can keep up her current run of tennis.

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