AN AMAZING field has signed up for what promises to be a memorable Qatar Open on the WTA Tour with world number one Ash Barty set to play alongside at least six other top 10 stars. With others in serious form and depth like few other tournaments, this promises to be a huge event with plenty on offer for the winner.

FAVOURITE:

Ash Barty (AUS)

The world number one seems to for some reason be copping it for her semi-final loss and consequent press conference where she brought here niece into it. The tour’s golden girl has nothing to apologise for on either front having won in Adelaide and performed well throughout the Australian Open campaign. Her first tournament since that loss will come here in Qatar, with the major question mark coming over her fitness, having withdrawn from Dubai with a foot injury. Still number one with a bullet, the Australian will have plenty to prove here in a stacked field of entries that will see a remarkable 64 players take to the courts in such a prestigious event. Barty did not play here last year so does not have the points to defend.

CONTENDERS:

Simona Halep (ROU)

Last year’s runner-up returns in-form after a semi-finals loss at Melbourne Park and a strong performance in Dubai. She will be seeded number two this year – unless Barty withdraws handing her top billing, which will suit the Romanian just fine. Last year, Halep went down to Belgian Elise Mertens in three sets, but triumphed over Ukranians, Elina Svitolina and Lesia Tsurenko, and German Julia Goerges on her way to the final.

Petra Kvitova (CZE)

Reaching a quarter final in Melbourne back in January, Kvitova ran into world number one, Barty in a straight sets loss in the Grand Slam. Prior to that, the crafty left-handed Czech downed in-form Ekaterina Alexandrova – who had won back-to-back tournaments heading into the match – and 22nd seed Maria Sakkari. She fronted up at St Petersburg, but illness forced her to retire in the quarter finals against Alexandrova.

Elise Mertens (BEL)

Last year’s reigning champion would be a highly rated chance to go back-to-back with some good form coming in excluding her straight sets loss to Aryna Sabalenka at Dubai. That tournament was her first-up from the Australian Open, where she reached a fourth round and went down to Halep, the player she defeated in this final 12 months ago. With points to defend, Mertens will need to rekindle that form that saw her win the title. With five titles to her name, the Belgian will be keen to back it up with a strong performance here.

ROUGHIES:

Kiki Bertens (BEL)

A consistent player over the past few years, the 28-year-old Dutchwoman has worked her way to eighth in the work having taken out the St Petersburg Ladies Trophy back-to-back, defeating Alexandrova among three Russians, and Elena Rybakina on her way to the trophy. An impressive straight sets win over top 15 player, Sabalenka and a fighting three-set loss to Naomi Osaka earlier in the year at Brisbane, and Bertens is in some strong form. She did lose to Garbine Muguruza at Melbourne Park on the Spaniard’s way to the final, but Bertens should be feeling confident against the world’s best heading in here.

Angelique Kerber (GER)

The Grand Slam winner is making her way back up the rankings with the former world number one back in the top 20 after a Round of 16 Melbourne Park showing. She reached the fourth round before being stopped in her tracks by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in a disappointing loss, but it was also hard to read her performance as a whole, with her three wins coming against players outside the top 100. A forgettable loss against Sam Stosur and forced to retire in Adelaide against Ukrainian teen and eventual finalist, Dayana Yastremska, her 2020 season still has a question mark on her form thus far.

Garbine Muguruza (ESP)

The Spanish Grand Slam winner came agonisingly close to winning her third Grand Slam at Melbourne Park, reaching the final on the back of some inspired tennis. What will give her confidence is the fact she was able to knock off the likes of Halep, Pavlyuchenkova, Bertens and Svitolina, all of whom have signed up here for the same surface as the Australian Open. Whilst she had to retire in Hobart and went down to Alexandrova in Shenzhen, she has already picked up her form again in Dubai, making a quarter final at the time of publishing.

DARK HORSE:

Elena Rybakina (KAZ)

It is hard not to imagine the talented 20-year-old as a future Grand Slam winner with the way she moves and her shot play. She has that almost complete game when she is on, but at a level just below the elite talents. It is getting there though, and it showed with a huge come-from-behind win against fifth seed and Australian Open winner, Sofia Kenin at Dubai. If she can continue that form which saw her also reach finals in St Petersburg and Shenzhen – and winning at Hobart – then she is every chance to push inside the top 10 during the season.