Tennis: Our Predicitons for the ATP tournaments in Doha and Rio de Janeiro, and the WTA in Dubai.
by Tyler Doty | by Tyler Doty
A great week ahead for your tennis predictions, for both men and women, with exciting matchups between the top players heading to Qatar (hard), Brazil (clay), and the UAE (hard).
ATP Doha: Without Jannik Sinner, an opportunity for his opponents
The ATP 500 tournament in Doha marks the last stop before the American Masters 1000 events in early March. For the 2025 edition, all the big names in world tennis, except for Jannik Sinner (suspended for doping), will be competing, with a lineup worthy of the biggest tournaments!
This year, Carlos Alcaraz has chosen to start his season on hard courts, unlike previous years when the Spaniard would head to South America for clay-court tournaments. This decision has paid off for the world number 3, as he won the tournament in Rotterdam last week. While Alcaraz didn’t dominate, he showed great mental strength to claim the title, and in Doha, the Spaniard will be the favorite as the top seed.
With Jannik Sinner absent and Alexander Zverev heading to Rio, the tournament will still feature top-level competition, including Novak Djokovic. After his withdrawal from the Australian Open semi-finals, the Serbian returns to action and must be considered a contender for the title. However, Djokovic will need to be at 100% physically in his opening match against Italy’s Matteo Berrettini.
Who will challenge Carlos Alcaraz in Qatar? Daniil Medvedev has had a disappointing start to the season, like his loss in the Marseille semi-finals last Saturday. While Medvedev is capable of anything, he doesn’t seem physically ready to fight for the title, just like his compatriot Andrey Rublev, who has been more inconsistent in recent months. Perhaps Alcaraz's biggest rival could be Alex De Minaur. The Australian, seeded 2nd, put up a great fight in the Rotterdam final against Alcaraz and looks strong early in the season. He may be a serious outsider in Doha.
French player Ugo Humbert will unfortunately not be in Qatar this week. After winning the tournament in Marseille, Humbert has decided to rest and will return to the courts next week to defend his title in Dubai!
Having already won in Rotterdam, Carlos Alcaraz stands out as the big favorite this week in Qatar. Strong mentally, physically, and in his game, the Spaniard could claim his second title of 2025.
Our ATP Doha prediction: Carlos Alcaraz to win!
ATP Rio de Janeiro: Alexander Zverev seeking revenge
While some have headed to Qatar, others have chosen South America and the clay courts of Rio de Janeiro. This is a tour where South Americans will be eager to succeed Sebastian Baez, the 2024 champion.
One man arrives as the overwhelming favorite: Alexander Zverev. The German is the only top 10 player making his way to Brazil, and on a surface where he has often excelled in his career (finalist at the last Roland Garros), the world number 2 arrives with a target on his back. However, caution is needed for the top seed, who came into Buenos Aires under similar circumstances but was knocked out in the quarter-finals. Still, well acclimated and having settled into the clay, Zverev will be eager to show a different side in Rio.
The competition in Rio is somewhat less intense this week, but this will ensure balanced matches in every round. As the number 2 seed, Lorenzo Musetti will be one of the tournament's outsiders. The Italian, a bronze medalist at the last Olympic Games, is very versatile and can perform on all surfaces. After reaching the quarter-finals in Buenos Aires, Musetti arrives in Rio with some physical concerns, having withdrawn from his last match. Will he be 100% in Brazil?
Finally, how can we not mention the South Americans coming in strong to Rio, notably Brazilian Joao Fonseca! A real revelation this season, the Brazilian will be full of confidence after his strong week in Buenos Aires, where he won the tournament. Supported by his fans, the world number 99 is on a roll and will arrive in Rio with high ambitions.
His opponent in the Buenos Aires final, Francisco Cerundolo, will also have high goals in Rio. The Argentine, aiming for a spot in the top 20, will be one of the week's favorites. Keep an eye on Chileans Alejandro Tabilo and Nicolas Jarry, both comfortable on clay and often shining in these conditions.
A balanced field, but with a big favorite: Alexander Zverev. After his disappointment in Buenos Aires, the German will most likely bounce back, and after settling into South American clay, the world number 2 should be much stronger in Brazil starting this Monday.
Our ATP Rio prediction: Alexander Zverev to win!
WTA 1000 Dubai Masters: Aryna Sabalenka aiming for her first title in the UAE?
The women’s tour will be in the Middle East this week with the WTA 1000 in Dubai, an important new event following the WTA 1000 in Doha, won by Amanda Anisimova.
After a surprise first-round exit in Doha, Aryna Sabalenka is determined to bounce back. The top seed, who lost her title at the Australian Open, will need to regain her form in the UAE. The Belarusian will be a favorite but will have to contend with all the top players in the world who will be present in Dubai.
Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, defending champion Jasmine Paolini, and Iga Swiatek will all be aiming for the title this week in Dubai. The Polish player recently reached the semi-finals in Doha and had been dominant in the tournament until she fell to her nemesis, Jelena Ostapenko. However, the former world number 1 may not face the Latvian until the potential semi-finals, and it’s uncertain whether the Latvian, who was a finalist in Doha, will have the physical resources to keep up. With a strong field, we can expect exciting matches in every round!
Impressive up to the semi-finals in Doha, Iga Swiatek arrives in Dubai with confidence in her game and has been playing at a high level since the beginning of the season. The Polish player, who is also physically strong, could secure another tournament win at this WTA 1000 event in Dubai.
Our WTA Dubai prediction: Iga Swiatek to win!
