Gauff vs Mertens Prediction 18 February 2026
🔊 Coco Gauff and Elise Mertens are set to clash in the round of 16 at the Dubai Masters. Both players have made deep runs in the UAE before, reaching the semifinals two years apart: Gauff in 2023 and Mertens in 2021. Currently, there are 18 spots separating them in the world rankings. Can Elise, ranked 22nd, put up a fight against her higher-ranked opponent? Let's assess her chances in our editorial's prediction.
Head-to-Head
📊 The players have faced off four times. Mertens has yet to secure a victory against Gauff. Exactly half of their matches have gone to three sets, but in their most recent encounter, Gauff handed Elise a "bagel" in one of the sets.
Head-to-head statistics Gauff - Mertens
Cori Gauff Player Overview
Cori Gauff is regaining her form after an early exit in Doha. In the first round, she dispatched Anna Kalinskaya in straight sets. Beyond her consistently powerful groundstrokes, Gauff has also improved her serve accuracy, now at 68%. This enhancement allows the American to win 55% of her service games, though she remains prone to double faults, averaging 9% per match. Nonetheless, Gauff is formidable not only on her serve but also in baseline rallies, where her power enables her to hit winners from virtually any spot on the court.
Match Results: Cori Gauff
Elise Mertens Player Overview
Elise Mertens heads into the match with confidence after securing back-to-back victories in Dubai against Emma Navarro and Marie Bouzkova. Like her upcoming opponent, the Belgian places significant emphasis on her serve, averaging 5.4 aces per match. Mertens also performs well on return, winning more than half of her break points. During her service games, she delivers an impressive first-serve accuracy of 65%, though she needs to reduce the number of unforced errors, which, while not as high as Gauff's, still account for a significant 6%.
Match Results: Elise Mertens
Prediction on the outcome
- Elise Mertens has lost in last 4 matches against Cori Gauff.
Prediction on the over/under
- Cori Gauff has won under 12.5 games in 12 of last 14 matches.
⭐ Editorial Prediction
Analyzing the form of both tennis players, it's reasonable to expect a tight match. Gauff is showing a return to her early-season form with a commanding victory over Kalinskaya in the second round of the current tournament. Her powerful serve and baseline shots are perfectly suited for hard courts. On the other hand, Mertens possesses similar serving qualities but excels more on returns. With such evenly matched skills, giving both players advantages on their own games and putting the less heralded Belgian ahead on breaks, this encounter is likely to be prolonged. Our prediction: total over 19.5.
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Betting Tips: Cori Gauff - Elise Mertens
in last 4 matches against Elise Mertens.in last 4 matches against Cori Gauff.
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