The WTA Rabat Open will have a new champion as Anhelina Kalinina and Petra Marcinko set to battle it out in Morocco with both looking for their first title on the main tour. It promises to be an exciting final, and as ever, we at LWOT preview and predict the final match for you. But who will lift the trophy?
WTA Rabat Final Prediction
Anhelina Kalinina vs Petra Marcinko
Head-to-head: first meeting
Kalinina has arguably been the story of the clay season at this level, claiming two titles in Antalya and arriving in Rabat with a 33-9 record in 2026. This is her first tour-level semifinal in 16 months, and she’s taken full advantage, grinding through an all-Ukrainian clash by beating Yulia Starodubtseva in straight sets and then dismissing Anna Bondar in the quarterfinals before annihilating Panna Udvardy in the semifinals to reach her third WTA final (and first since 2023).
Her baseline consistency and movement on slow clay are a level above most in this field and the former-world #25 will surely be going into this match with real confidence having won four matches so far this week without dropping a set.
Marcinko, meanwhile, has been the feel-good story so far at WTA Rabat. She started her week by beating the veteran Vera Zvonareva in straight sets, and then, at just 20, she rallied from a set down in the second round against relatively unknown Ukrainian Yelyzaveta Kotliar before she took out second seed Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the quarterfinals. She then dispatched Jil Teichmann in straight sets in the semifinal, a result that few would have predicted.
Her 7-5 clay-court record in 2026 and a semifinal run in Oeiras show this isn’t a fluke; the Croatian belongs here, but a WTA final remains uncharted territory. Marcinko clearly has a bright future ahead of her, but this might be a challenge too far too soon for the young gun.
Kalinina’s clay pedigree, relentless grinding game, and dominant record this season make her the clear favourite. Marcinko will fight for every point, but Kalinina looks like a player who has been building for this moment all year.
Prediction: Kalinina in 2
Main photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images