Jessica Pegula and Iva Jović will square off at the Dubai Tennis Championships on Wednesday in a contest that pits one of the most consistent American tennis players in recent years against one of the nation’s most talented young stars. Both players appear to be in fine form at the moment, and we could be in for a close match-up between them in Dubai.
Jessica Pegula vs Iva Jović Match Details
Date: Feb. 18, 2026
Tournament: Dubai Tennis Championships 2026
Round: Round of 16
Venue: Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, Dubai, UAE
Surface: Outdoor hard
Category: WTA 1000
Live Telecast: Tennis Channel, Sky Sports, TSN, TVA
Pegula vs Jović Head-to-Head
This will be the first meeting between Pegula and Jović in singles tennis, so their head-to-head record is currently at 0-0. The world No. 5 has made a strong start to the season and comfortably defeated Varvara Gracheva 6-4, 6-0 in the second round.
Jović needed three sets to win both her matches so far in Dubai, defeating Kamilla Rakhimova in her opener before earning a 6-4, 1-6, 6-0 win over Diana Shnaider on Tuesday. Pegula was spotted in the stands for Jović’s second-round clash as she scouted her next opponent on Wednesday.
MORE: Jessica Pegula Spotted Carefully Studying Iva Jović From the Stands Ahead of Their Dubai Duel
The 18-year-old has made plenty of waves already this year, reaching the ASB Classic semifinal before making the final in Hobart. She then played excellent tennis at the Australian Open, defeating Jasmine Paolini and Yulia Putintseva before losing to Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals.
Pegula also impressed during the Australia Swing, making the semifinals in both Brisbane and Melbourne. She is one of the favorites to win the Dubai Tennis Championships and will be determined to win her first WTA Tour title since June 2025.
Pegula vs Jović Prediction
Pegula doesn’t have the best record in the Middle East Swing, with a semifinal appearance in Dubai in 2023 as her best result. However, with the form she is in, she will fancy her chances of defeating her compatriot.
The fourth seed looked sharp in her Dubai opener on Tuesday, breaking her opponent’s serve five times and recording a first serve percentage of 94%. She also won the final nine games of her second-round match and hopes to use her serve to her advantage again on Wednesday.
Jović has shown quick movement, solid returning, and an ability to capitalize on her break-point opportunities this season. She will draw inspiration from her win over Paolini at the Australian Open as she aims to get the better of Pegula. But the 31-year-old’s experience at the top level should help her get the win in this one.
Pick – Pegula to win in straight sets