WTA 500 - DUBAI, UAE
ATP 500 - RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
ATP 250 - DOHA, QATAR
ATP 250 - DELRAY BEACH, FL, USA
ATP 250 - MARSEILLE, FRANCE
WELCOME to the Middle East for two of our tournaments this week. The double Dubai (ladies) and Doha (men) who will switch places the following week - the ladies for a WTA 1000 in Doha, the men for an ATP 500 in Dubai..We're also still down in South America for an ATP 500 - the Summer Final Leg of the Latin American Swing in Rio de Janeiro. Plus two, 250s in Marseille, France and in Delray Beach, Florida, USA. All of the hardcourt tourneys are prep for the "5th Slam" - BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells - March 9-20, 2022.
(Note: neither Hubert Hurkacz nor Daniil Medvedev are defending their titles in Delray Beach nor Marseille, respectively and I have heard nothing regarding the reasons for either being MIA.)
It's going to be a busy few months and 5 tournaments this week, so let's get to it!👇
Surface: hard outdoor
Draw: Singles 32, doubles 16
Defending champion: Garbine Muguruza
This is the 22nd edition of the tournament. After being behind closed doors last year, this year’s tourney will have full capacity.
There is a very strong field, although the No.1 ranked player, Ashleigh Barty, is not taking part.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Aryna Sabalenka, Barbora Krejcikova, Paula Badosa, Garbine Muguruza, Iga Swiatek, Anett Kontaveit, Ons Jabeur, Danielle Collins
Other notables include: Cori Gauff, Simona Halep👀, Daria Kasatkina, Petra Kvitova
Wildcards: Caroline Garcia, Alison Riske, Mayar Sherif, Vera Zvonareva. Irina-Camelia Begu received a special exempt.
Withdrawals: Maria Sakkari, Belinda Bencic, Angelique Kerber, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Elena Rybakina
Projected Quarterfinals by seed:
Draw : Singles 28, Doubles 16
2020 Champion: Cristian Garin
This is the 8th edition of the tournament, which was cancelled in 2021 because of the Covid pandemic.
The big news was that Juan Martin del Potro, who had received a wildcard for the tourney, withdrew. Unless something very unexpected occurs Delpo has played his last pro tennis match, much to the sadness of his many fans, as well as other pro players. The “gentle giant” will be missed. However - The Tower of Tandil has NOT officially dropped out of the ATP - there's daily murmurs of DelPo "planning" on competing in Indian Wells and elsewhere, so we'll only know for certain once there's a huge "End of Watch" ceremony (and then again he might try and come back!)
Seeds (in order of seeding): Matteo Berrettini, Casper Ruud, Diego Schwartzman, Pablo Carreno Busta, Cristian Garin, Lorenzo Sonego, Carlos Alcaraz, Albert Ramos-Vinolas
Wildcards: Brazilians Felipe Meligeni Alves and Thiago Monteiro, plus Shang Juncheng. Several players are using a protected ranking – Pablo Andujar, Pablo Cuevas, Fernando Verdasco
Special exempt: Francisco Cerundolo
Withdrawals: Juan Martin del Potro, Dominic Thiem
SINGLES DRAW
DOUBLES DRAW
OOP
Delray Beach Open ATP 250
Surface: hard outdoor
Draw: Singles 28, Doubles 16
2021 Champion: Hubert Hurkacz
The tournament debuted in 1993. Not surprisingly, there are a LOT of American players taking part, 12 in the main draw (not including qualifiers).
Seeds (in order of seeding): Cameron Norrie, Reilly Opelka, Grigor Dimitrov, Tommy Paul, Sebastian Korda, Jenson Brooksby, Adrian Mannarino, Maxime Cressy
Other notables include: Daniel Altmaier, Kevin Anderson, Thanasi Kokkinakis
Wildcards: Americans Tommy Paul and Jack Sock, plus Grigor Dimitrov
Withdrawals: Nick Kyrgios, Frances Tiafoe
There are several legends matches, plus a fun exhibition match – mixed doubles with Leylah Fernandez/Bob Bryan vs Bianca Fernandez/Mike Bryan, so two sisters and two brothers are squaring off.
SINGLES DRAW
DOUBLES DRAW
OOP
Open 13 Provence ATP 250
Surface : Hard indoor
Draw : Singles 28, Doubles 16
2021 Champion: Daniil Medvedev
This is the 30th edition of the tournament. As you would expect, it attracts many French players. Also, many players who were in last week’s Rotterdam tourney made the trip to Marseille.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Stefanos Tsitsipas (won title in 2019 and 2020), Andrey Rublev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Aslan Karatsev, Ilya Ivashka, Tallon Griekspoor, Alexei Popyrin, Gianluca Mager
Other notables include: Hugo Gaston, Richard Gasquet, Mikael Ymer
Wildcards: All are French players – Lucas Pouille, Gilles Simon, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (who has won the tourney three times)
Withdrawals: Ricardas Berankis, Ugo Humbert, Jannik Sinner
SINGLES DRAW
DOUBLES DRAW
OOP
Draw: Singles 28, Doubles 16
Defending champion: Nikoloz Basilashvili
The 30th edition of the tournament, which has been selected by the players as the ATP 250 Tournament of the Year on four occasions – 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Sir Andy Murray have all won multiple Doha titles.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Denis Shapovalov, Roberto Bautista Agut, Nikoloz Basilashvili, Marin Cilic, Dan Evans, Karen Khachanov, Alexander Bublik, Lloyd Harris
Other notables include: Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Marton Fucsovics, Filip Krajinovic, Botic van de Zandschulp
Wildcards: Marin Cilic, Malek Jaziri, Andy Murray
Withdrawals: Alex de Minaur, Gael Monfils, Jan-Lennard Struff
SINGLES DRAW
DOUBLES DRAW
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships WTA 500Aviation Club Tennis CentreDubai, United Arab EmiratesFebruary 14 - 19, 2022
 |
| Burj al Arab - Luxury Hotel - Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
Surface: hard outdoor
Draw: Singles 32, doubles 16
Defending champion: Garbine Muguruza
This is the 22nd edition of the tournament. After being behind closed doors last year, this year’s tourney will have full capacity.
There is a very strong field, although the No.1 ranked player, Ashleigh Barty, is not taking part.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Aryna Sabalenka, Barbora Krejcikova, Paula Badosa, Garbine Muguruza, Iga Swiatek, Anett Kontaveit, Ons Jabeur, Danielle Collins
Other notables include: Cori Gauff, Simona Halep👀, Daria Kasatkina, Petra Kvitova
Wildcards: Caroline Garcia, Alison Riske, Mayar Sherif, Vera Zvonareva. Irina-Camelia Begu received a special exempt.
Withdrawals: Maria Sakkari, Belinda Bencic, Angelique Kerber, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Elena Rybakina
 |
| Dubai Atlantis The Palm |
Projected Quarterfinals by seed:
Sabalenka (1) v Swiatek (6)
Badosa (3) v Jabeur (8)
Kontaveit (7) v Muguruza (4)
(maybe Collins (8) v Krejcikova (2)
SINGLES DRAW
WTA website for Doubles Draw + OOP
Badosa (3) v Jabeur (8)
Kontaveit (7) v Muguruza (4)
(maybe Collins (8) v Krejcikova (2)
SINGLES DRAW
WTA website for Doubles Draw + OOP
Rio Open ATP 500Jockey Club BrasileiroRio de Janeiro, BrazilFebruary 14 - 20, 2022
 |
| Desfile en Rio de Janeiro en Febrero |
Surface : Clay
Draw : Singles 28, Doubles 16
2020 Champion: Cristian Garin
This is the 8th edition of the tournament, which was cancelled in 2021 because of the Covid pandemic.
The big news was that Juan Martin del Potro, who had received a wildcard for the tourney, withdrew. Unless something very unexpected occurs Delpo has played his last pro tennis match, much to the sadness of his many fans, as well as other pro players. The “gentle giant” will be missed. However - The Tower of Tandil has NOT officially dropped out of the ATP - there's daily murmurs of DelPo "planning" on competing in Indian Wells and elsewhere, so we'll only know for certain once there's a huge "End of Watch" ceremony (and then again he might try and come back!)
Seeds (in order of seeding): Matteo Berrettini, Casper Ruud, Diego Schwartzman, Pablo Carreno Busta, Cristian Garin, Lorenzo Sonego, Carlos Alcaraz, Albert Ramos-Vinolas
 |
| "A Life With More Love" |
Wildcards: Brazilians Felipe Meligeni Alves and Thiago Monteiro, plus Shang Juncheng. Several players are using a protected ranking – Pablo Andujar, Pablo Cuevas, Fernando Verdasco
Special exempt: Francisco Cerundolo
Withdrawals: Juan Martin del Potro, Dominic Thiem
SINGLES DRAW
DOUBLES DRAW
OOP
Delray Beach Open ATP 250
Delray Beach Tennis Center
Delray Beach, USA
February 14 - 20, 2022
 |
| Downtown Delray Beach - Palm Beach County |
Surface: hard outdoor
Draw: Singles 28, Doubles 16
2021 Champion: Hubert Hurkacz
The tournament debuted in 1993. Not surprisingly, there are a LOT of American players taking part, 12 in the main draw (not including qualifiers).
Seeds (in order of seeding): Cameron Norrie, Reilly Opelka, Grigor Dimitrov, Tommy Paul, Sebastian Korda, Jenson Brooksby, Adrian Mannarino, Maxime Cressy
Other notables include: Daniel Altmaier, Kevin Anderson, Thanasi Kokkinakis
Wildcards: Americans Tommy Paul and Jack Sock, plus Grigor Dimitrov
Withdrawals: Nick Kyrgios, Frances Tiafoe
 |
| Delray Beach Tennis Center - Venue |
There are several legends matches, plus a fun exhibition match – mixed doubles with Leylah Fernandez/Bob Bryan vs Bianca Fernandez/Mike Bryan, so two sisters and two brothers are squaring off.
SINGLES DRAW
DOUBLES DRAW
OOP
Open 13 Provence ATP 250
Palais des Sports de Marseille
Marseille, France
February 14 - 20, 2022
 |
| Chateau d'If - Historic Prison - Marseille, France (holds the dungeon of the Count of Monte Cristo) |
Surface : Hard indoor
Draw : Singles 28, Doubles 16
2021 Champion: Daniil Medvedev
This is the 30th edition of the tournament. As you would expect, it attracts many French players. Also, many players who were in last week’s Rotterdam tourney made the trip to Marseille.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Stefanos Tsitsipas (won title in 2019 and 2020), Andrey Rublev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Aslan Karatsev, Ilya Ivashka, Tallon Griekspoor, Alexei Popyrin, Gianluca Mager
Other notables include: Hugo Gaston, Richard Gasquet, Mikael Ymer
 |
| Fort Saint-Jean, Marseille, France - the Gateway to Provence Built in 1660 by King Louis XIV who said: "We noticed that the inhabitants of Marseille were extremely fond of nice fortresses. We wanted to have our own at the entrance to this great port." |
Wildcards: All are French players – Lucas Pouille, Gilles Simon, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (who has won the tourney three times)
Withdrawals: Ricardas Berankis, Ugo Humbert, Jannik Sinner
SINGLES DRAW
DOUBLES DRAW
OOP
Qatar ExxonMobil Open ATP 250Khalifa International Tennis and Squash ComplexDoha, QatarFebruary 14 - 19, 2022
 |
| Museum of Islamic Art - Doha, Qatar - Architect I.M. Pei The museum is built on an island off an artificial projecting peninsula near the traditional dhow harbor |
Surface: Hard outdoor
Draw: Singles 28, Doubles 16
Defending champion: Nikoloz Basilashvili
The 30th edition of the tournament, which has been selected by the players as the ATP 250 Tournament of the Year on four occasions – 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Sir Andy Murray have all won multiple Doha titles.
Seeds (in order of seeding): Denis Shapovalov, Roberto Bautista Agut, Nikoloz Basilashvili, Marin Cilic, Dan Evans, Karen Khachanov, Alexander Bublik, Lloyd Harris
Other notables include: Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Marton Fucsovics, Filip Krajinovic, Botic van de Zandschulp
 |
| Burj al Arab - world's highest tennis court - Dubai, UAE |
Wildcards: Marin Cilic, Malek Jaziri, Andy Murray
Withdrawals: Alex de Minaur, Gael Monfils, Jan-Lennard Struff
SINGLES DRAW
DOUBLES DRAW
Special thank you to Globetrotter Shirley Hartt👼
No comments:
Post a Comment