Jessica Pegula defeated Iva Jovic 6–4, 6–2 in the round of 16 at the Dubai WTA Masters 1000 on hard court. Pegula, the pre-match favourite at 1.38 odds, delivered a commanding performance to advance, breaking Jovic's resistance in both sets with clinical tennis. The American's superior court control and consistency proved decisive against her unseeded opponent, who entered as an underdog at 2.96. Pegula's victory underscores her status as a leading contender in the early-season hard-court calendar and sets up a quarter-final encounter with a stronger opponent from the upper bracket.