U16 Girls Rackets Academy, Dubai — Midweek Momentum and Monday Order of Play

Tournament Overview

Event: U16 Girls Rackets Academy — UAE Tennis Federation

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dates: February 13–22, 2026

Surface: Hard

Main Draw Size: 16 | Qualifying: 8

Format notes: Standard best-of-three sets format applied; a match tie-break to 10 has been used where indicated.

Where the Draw Stands

The top half and bottom half have produced distinct storylines, with commanding wins from the leading contenders and a few byes and walkovers shaping the bracket. As of Monday morning, one finalist is confirmed and one semifinal remains to be played.

Quarterfinal Results

• Caroline Peters (EMI, USA) def. Maria HADDADIN (IND) — 6-0, 6-1
• Goonj MATHUR (IND) def. Cleopatra CARNES (SUP) — 6-2, 6-1
• Erin HUBERT (C.F) def. Misha BEHL (FUT) — walkover
• Berna GULSOY (IND) def. Emilia BALKANYI (PBI) — 6-3, 7-6(2)

Semifinals

• Caroline Peters (EMI, USA) vs Goonj MATHUR (IND) — to be played today
• Berna GULSOY (IND) def. Erin HUBERT (C.F) — 6-0, 6-1

Final

Berna GULSOY awaits the winner of Caroline Peters vs Goonj MATHUR.

Form Guide and Key Themes

• Peters’ pace and precision: A 6-0, 6-1 quarterfinal indicates both first-strike efficiency and clean serving. If she establishes court position early today, she can control rallies.
• Mathur’s baseline rhythm: Comfortable straight-sets against Carnes suggest sustained depth and a low error count. Her capacity to extend exchanges could be decisive against an aggressive opponent.
• Gulsoy’s complete performance: A tight second-set tie-break won 7-6(2) in the quarterfinal and a ruthless 6-0, 6-1 in the semifinal show both resilience under pressure and front-foot dominance.
• Physical management: With hard courts and back-to-back high-intensity matches, managing service holds and short patterns behind first serve will be vital.

Round of 16 Highlights

• Maria HADDADIN edged Chihiro YAMANISHI — 6-2, 4-6, 10-5, showcasing composure in the match tie-break.
• Emilia BALKANYI advanced via walkover, then pushed Gulsoy to a tie-break in the second set of their quarterfinal.
• Several top entries benefited from byes, consolidating a strong quarterfinal lineup.

What to Watch Today — Monday, February 16, 2026

Semifinal Preview: Caroline Peters vs Goonj MATHUR

Match-up lens: Peters enters with overwhelming scoreboard momentum; Mathur arrives with a clean, confident baseline game. The battle will hinge on first-serve percentage, return depth, and who controls the short forehand from the middle of the court.

1. Keys for Peters: High first-serve rate, early forehand aggression cross-court, and finishing patterns up the line to keep points short.
2. Keys for Mathur: Neutralizing returns, heavy, safe margins over the middle third, and targeted pressure to Peters’ backhand wing.

Bottom line: Expect a contrast between first-strike tennis and rhythmic depth. Momentum slightly favors Peters, but if Mathur drags rallies past the fourth ball, this can swing quickly.

Order of Play — Monday, February 16, 2026

Note: Times and courts are subject to the Referee’s confirmation. Please check the official tournament page for live updates.

Path to the Trophy

• Confirmed finalist: Berna GULSOY — riding a dominant semifinal win and a composed quarterfinal tie-break.
• Awaiting finalist: Winner of Peters vs Mathur — today’s victor will return for the championship match later this week.

UAE Tennis Federation Perspective

This U16 stop in Dubai continues to highlight the region’s junior depth. Clean scheduling, quality officiating, and competitive balance have produced a compelling final stretch on the hard courts at Rackets Academy.

Stay Connected

For draws, schedules, and results, visit the UAE Tennis Federation tournament page.