TENNIS is truly ramping up post-Australian Open with four tournaments played across the ATP and WTA Tours this week. Both Tours have 500 events to headline Week 6, while also having a smaller 250 event in Cluj Napoca on the WTA Tour. We preview that event, as well as those 500s in Abu Dhabi, Rotterdam and Dallas.

Abu Dhabi Open – WTA 500

Reigning champion Elena Rybakina headlines the WTA 500 event in a tournament that is incredibly winnable for the talented Grand Slam champion. With the top four players all missing to prepare for next week’s WTA 1000 events, Rybakina has her best chance of going back-to-back.

There have only been three editions of the event, but another past winner is back on the hardcourts being now wildcard Belinda Bencic who has shown promising signs to start the year. The 2022 winner was offered a wildcard and will take on Slovakian Rebecca Sramkova in the opening round of the tournament.

Also there are former world number three – now second seed – Paula Badosa coming off an Australian Open semi-final, as well as last year’s Abu Dhabi runner-up Daria Kasatkina. The Russian is seeded third at the event, though sparked intrigue when the draw was released which had her named for Spain. She has lived in Barcelona for a long time and has been rumoured to be considering changing allegiances.

Across the board a first round match between eighth seed Leylah Fernandez and Linz winner Ekaterina Alexandrova is the pick of the bunch, while sixth seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova takes on former Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin. There are no Aussies in the draw, with Kiwi Lulu Sun the closest representative by proximity.

TIP = Elena Rybakina to defeat Paula Badosa

Rotterdam Open – ATP 500

The first ATP 500 event for the year boasts four Top 10 players and a further three Top 20 players, making it highly competitive. Despite world number one and reigning champion Jannik Sinner withdrawing, Spanish world number two Carlos Alcaraz headlines the event, while Russian Daniil Medvedev is second seed.

Alcaraz is deserving favourite at the event but does have a very tough draw. The Spaniard takes on Dutchman Botic Van de Zandschulp who dismissed him in straight sets at the US Open last year, sending the tennis world into shock. He would then need to beat Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime who is coming off a title in Montpellier, followed by likely matchups with Top 20 players, Holger Rune, Andrey Rublev and then Medvedev if favourites win.

Third seed Australian Alex de Minaur has a favourable draw if he can play at his best, and he has beaten Medvedev before if he gets to teh semi-finals. The Russian has a stiff quarter finals opponent in store with likely one of Stefanos Tsitsipas or Matteo Berrettini awaiting him. One to watch in that group could be Medvedev’s second round opponent in teenage Dutchman Mees Rottgering who is a prestigious talent.

TIP = Carlos Alcaraz to defeat Alex de Minaur

Dallas Open – ATP 500

For the first time in history, the Dallas Open will be an ATP 500 event, stepping up from its ATP 250 status of year’s gone by. Reigning champion Tommy Paul returns to the fold as one of a stack of home talent hopes, was the United States make up five of the top seven ranked players in the 32-strong draw. Paul is third seed and must make a final to defend his points and gain some, but will likely have to beat a raft of compatriots along the way.

Favourite without a doubt is top seed Taylor Fritz who does not have an easy draw by any means, with his rest during the week compared to many of his rivals likely to hold him in good stead later in the tournament. Second seed Casper Ruud is coming off a near-miss at the Davis Cup, while Czech Tomas Machac is the other European hope amongst the likes of Ben Shelton, Alex Michelsen and Frances Tiafoe of whom the first two performed strongly in the Australian Open.

Ruud takes on last year’s runner-up Marcos Giron who represented the United States at the Davis Cup over the weekend, as did seventh seeded Michelsen. Given the even spread of the top American seeds, there is a way where all four semi-finalists are local talents, with Fritz and Paul squaring off, as well as Shelton and Tiafoe. However Ruud might have something to say about that, as could Machac who is a danger for Fritz.

TIP = Taylor Fritz to defeat Casper Ruud

Transylvania Open – WTA 250

In its fifth edition, the Transylvania Open is one lacking a top-end talent, but a wide variety of potential winners. Reigning champion Karolina Pliskova is not there, with 2022 champion Anna Blinkova the sole past winner at the WTA 250 event. The Russian takes on Spanish qualifier Sara Sorribes Tormo to kick off her campaign, but is slanted to face top seed and world number 33, Anastasia Potapova in the quarter finals.

Potapova has two titles to her name, with the most recent being Linz two years ago, and now has a relatively strong chance to take out another. Her biggest threat is likely to be second seed Serbian Olga Danilovic who has a crunch match with hard-hitting American Alycia Parks up first, but showed at the Australian Open she has plenty of improvement to come.

The danger in the draw is wildcard Simona Halep, with the former Grand Slam winner earning a wildcard at her home event. At her best she is far better than anyone in the draw, but having missed substantial time due to a drug ban that was eventually ended early, the Romanian is still working her way back into it. She should be able to do some damage, and is a good chance to cruise through to the semi-finals if fit and firing.

TIP = Olga Danilovc to defeat Anastasia Potapova