Tennis - ATP & WTA Calendar: Rotterdam, Dallas, Abu Dhabi, Cluj... This week's tournaments and our favourites.
ATP Rotterdam: Carlos Alcaraz to succeed Jannik Sinner?
The ATP 500 tournament in Rotterdam marks the first major event of the year on European soil for your tennis forecasts. And with the defending champion, Italy's Jannik Sinner, out of the tournament, the field will be wide open for a chance to succeed the world number 1.
Quarter-finalist at the Australian Open, Carlos Alcaraz will arrive in the Netherlands as the number 1 seed. The Spaniard, who kicked off his season in Melbourne, seems to be in good form at the start of the season and will be the favourite at this Rotterdam tournament. But the Iberian tennis player will have his work cut out on Dutch soil, where the tough competition will force the four-time Grand Slam winner to play his best tennis.
Having run out of form in Australia after becoming a father, Daniil Medvedev will be in much better physical and mental condition for this meeting in the Netherlands. The Russian, seeded number 2, will be one of Carlos Alcaraz's main rivals, along with Alex De Minaur, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev. A fine line-up that should make for a great week in Rotterdam. On the French side, Arthur Fils and Giovanni Mpetschi Perricard will be the best French chances in the Netherlands, with a potential duel in the second round. But with the draw not being kind, it will be difficult to find a Frenchman in the last four.
Number 1 seed at the ATP 500 tournament in Rotterdam, Carlos Alcaraz is our favourite. The Spaniard played some quality tennis in Australia and has a margin over his opponents for this tournament in the Netherlands.
Our ATP Rotterdam forecast: Carlos Alcaraz to win.
ATP Dallas: Taylor Fritz, star on home soil
The ATP Tour arrives in the United States with the ATP 500 tournament in Dallas. With the Indian Wells and Miami Masters 1000s just a month away, a number of tennis players have decided to head to Texas to prepare for their upcoming events. And for this tournament, one man will be the overwhelming favourite, Taylor Fritz.
The world number 4 will be in front of his home crowd and in pole position to succeed his compatriot Tommy Paul, who won here in 2024. Although he left Melbourne disappointed, the American looks to be the man to beat this week in Dallas.
As for the competition, we'll have to look to Taylor Fritz's compatriots to see tennis players capable of beating the No. 1 seed, starting with Ben Shelton. A semi-finalist at the Australian Open, the young American arrives in Texas full of confidence and will be in with a shout of lifting the trophy, as will defending champion Tommy Paul. A quarter-finalist in Melbourne, the world No. 9 is also in fine form at the start of the season, and this Dallas tournament is shaping up to be something of a US championship!
This ATP 500 tournament in Dallas has often been a success for the Americans, and this 2025 edition should be no different. Number 1 seed Taylor Fritz is hoping to break his record in Texas. Although the competition will be tough, the world number 4 has the ability to dominate his compatriots and all the competition and over the last 3 seasons, the Californian has always won a tournament in his country.
Our ATP Dallas forecast: Taylor Fritz to win.
WTA Abu Dhabi: Heading up for a Rybakina/Badosa duel
The WTA Tour heads to the United Arab Emirates this week for the WTA 500 tournament in Abu Dhabi, in preparation for next week's Masters in Doha. While many players have decided to take a break, the field remains interesting, with 2 players in the top 10, Elena Rybakina and Paula Badosa.
And title holder Elena Rybakina will be going for a second trophy in a row in Abu Dhabi. The Kazakh remains on the back of a round-of-16 finish in Australia, but has again shown that her body can be a problem, with further scares during her tournament. The number 1 seed has had 2 weeks to recover, which has also been used to change her coach. A new start for the Wimbledon 2022 winner, which she hopes will be a positive one.
Semi-finalist in Melbourne, Paula Badosa is back in the WTA top 10 after several difficult years following physical problems. The Spaniard is back to her best and is emerging as one of the week's big outsiders in the United Arab Emirates. Paula Badosa, who enjoyed a fine run in Australia, including a victory over Coco Gauff, is now looking to return to the top, and that will come by winning tournaments.
Although the top players will be absent for this tournament, there will still be plenty of players to choose from, including Daria Kasatkina (11th), Yulia Putintseva (20th), Liudmila Samsonova (21st) and Jelena Ostapenko (26th). On the French side, we will be following Caroline Garcia who, after making her comeback at the Australian Open, will be coming to Abu Dhabi with the ambition of regaining her rhythm and feeling.
This WTA tournament in Abu Dhabi is wide open on paper and the battle will rage on throughout the week. Despite being seeded No. 1, Elena Rybakina has not given any assurance that she will be physically fit. As a result, our preview will go to Paula Badosa, who is coming off an excellent Australian Open. The Spaniard is back to her best and the problems she has encountered in the past have given her great strength of character and mental fortitude.
Our WTA Abu Dhabi forecast: Paula Badosa to win.
WTA Cluj: Anastasia Potapova the favourite
The second WTA tournament of the week, the Romanian city of Cluj welcomes for the 5th year running the tenniswomen who will be coming here hoping to make their mark on the tournament and succeed Karolina Pliskova. It's a wide-open tournament, with plenty of surprises in store throughout the week in Romania.
Anastasia Potapova, ranked 33rd in the world and seeded No. 1, will be one of the contenders for final victory. The Russian has made a very good start to the season, with an excellent level of play and a quarter-final appearance in Linz in recent days. The Muscovite won't have much of a margin, however, with a very balanced field including Croatian Olga Danilovic, recent eighth-finalist at the Australian Open, American Peyton Stearns and the returning Simona Halep. Invited by the organisers, the former world number 1 is hoping to make a comeback in front of her home crowd, and there's no doubt that the Romanian tennis star will be one to watch very closely.
This tournament in Cluj promises to be indecisive, and it may be difficult to pick out a clear favourite. But given her performances so far this season, Anastasia Potapova will be one of the favourites in Romania. Although the margin will be small, the Russian has shown in the past that she can play at a higher level than the competition in Cluj, and if the No. 1 seed maintains her current momentum, then Anastasia Potapova can believe in her chances.
Our WTA Cluj forecast: Anastasia Potapova to win.
