The Emma Raducanu vs Ons Jabeur clash could be the most evenly-matched tie in the Round of 32 at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Open. After a long injury hiatus, Raducanu returned to the court in 2024. She exited the 2024 ASB Classic and the Australian Open in the second round. Receiving a wildcard entry into the WTA 500 event, she entered the tournament with a 2-2 record. The Brit defeated Marie Bouzkova in straight sets in the first round in Abu Dhabi.
Jabeur, meanwhile, did not play any build-up tournament ahead of the 2024 Australian Open. Her campaign in Melbourne also ended in the second round. Seeded second in the 2024 Abu Dhabi Open, she received a bye into the second round. Her record for the year is 1-1.
After a scratchy first set, Raducanu found her groove in the second against Bouzkova, inflicting a breadstick. That could be troublesome for Jabeur, who has struggled since winning the Ningbo Open in September 2023. However, playing anywhere in the Middle East gets her complete crowd support, and she will look to feed off that.
Additionally, Raducanu has never defeated a top-10 opponent in her career. While Jabeur may not be in her best form, she is still a force to reckon with. The SportsRush predicts Ons Jabeur to win in three sets. She is also the slight favorite with odds of 1.85 to Raducanu’s 1.91, as per BetMGM.
The Emma Raducanu vs Ons Jabeur tie is scheduled for Wednesday, February 7, not before 6:15 pm local time (9:15 am ET). Fans in USA can watch this match on Tennis Channel. The conditions are expected to be windy, with temperatures around the 20°C mark.
Emma Raducanu vs Ons Jabeur: Recent form of both players
Before 2024, Emma Raducanu last played tennis in April 2023. She got a wildcard into the ASB Classic, where she won her first match. However, she ran into Elina Svitolina in the second round and lost to the second seed. The World No.296 used her Protected Ranking to enter the 2024 Australian Open. Her PR of 103 would have required her to play the qualifying rounds, but a couple of withdrawals allowed her to get into the main draw directly. Beating Shelby Rogers in the opening encounter, she lost to Wang Yafan in the second round.
Ons Jabeur, on the other hand, opted to not play any build-up tournaments ahead of the 2024 Australian Open. She directly participated in the Grand Slam, winning her first match against Yulia Starodubtsewa. However, teenager Mirra Andreeva stunned her in the second round, thrashing the Tunisian 6-0, 6-2. She also revealed a health scare she suffered during last year’s edition of the Happy Slam (7News).
The winner of the Emma Raducanu vs Ons Jabeur fixture will face either Beatriz Haddad Maia or Magda Linette in the next round, the quarter-finals.
