THE first of back-to-back WTA1000 tournaments kick off this week with the Qatar Open taking place in Doha. It follows on from the WTA500 event in Abu Dhabi, and concludes in Dubai the following week with a second WTA1000 event. We take a look at what to expect from the tournament.

All eyes will be on world number two Iga Swiatek as she eyes off a fourth straight title in Doha. She became the first player to win three titles at the hardcourt event, let alone three consecutively, so a fourth title would be remarkable. She has stiff competition though, with world number one Aryna Sabalenka regarded as the world’s best hardcourt player and Sabalenka has missed the past two events.

She last played back in 2022 where as number one seed, reached the quarter finals before going down to Swiatek rather comfortably 6-2 6-3, as the Pole went on to claim the title over surprise finalist, Anett Kontaveit. Swiatek’s subsequent titles have come against Jessica Pegula and then last year, Elena Rybakina.

Both Pegula and and Rybakina are back in Doha, with the pair set to clash with Sabalenka and Swiatek respectively in the quarter finals. While Australian Open champion Madison Keys, compatriot Danielle Collins and Czech Karolina Muchova are among the top players injured, there is the likes of in-form duo Paula Badosa and Ashlyn Krueger.

After opting out of Abu Dhabi following her win in Linz, Ekaterina Alexandrova has a stiff first couple of rounds, taking on British wildcard Emma Raducanu in the opening match before a huge Round of 32 battle against Sabalenka.

The top eight seeds all have byes into the Round of 32, with Coco Gauff and Jasmine Paolini in the top four, while Qinwen Zheng and Emma Navarro join Rybakina and Pegula from the bottom four of that group. Other dangers include Badosa and Diana Shnaider who could well push deep in the WTA1000 tournament.

PREDICTIONS:

Final: Aryna Sabalenka def. Iga Swiatek
Semis: Aryna Sabalenka def. Coco Gauff / Iga Swiatek def. Diana Shnaider
QF: A. Sabenka de. J. Pegula / C. Gauff def. P. Badosa / D. Shnaider def. J. Paolini / I. Swiatek def. E. Rybakina