Iva Jovic defeated Diana Shnaider 6–4, 1–6, 6–0 in the second round of the Dubai M1000 on hard court on 17 February 2026, confirming her status as pre-match favourite with odds of 1.68 to Shnaider's 2.15. After losing the opening set competitively, Jovic dominated the middle frame with a commanding 6–1 scoreline, then dismantled her opponent in the decider, dropping no games to seal a comprehensive victory. The result demonstrates Jovic's ability to recover from a slow start and impose control once finding her rhythm on the hard courts of the Gulf. Jovic advances to the next round with clear momentum on the WTA circuit.