WTA Qatar Open – Doha, Qatar
Date(s): 21st – 28th February 2022
Draw Preview
Following an entertaining week in Dubai last time out, the WTA Tour continues the spring gulf swing with the Qatar Open in Doha. 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko produced some scintillating tennis to win in Dubai last week and as she was unseeded, there will be plenty of players in the draw looking to put in statement performances this week. The absence of world number one Ashleigh Barty is sure to be a boost for all in the field too, giving plenty of those on the periphery the chance to cash in.
WTA Qatar Open Outright Betting
With some of the best players in the world in action, it promises to be a week of high-quality tennis in Doha.
Here are our tips for the title in Qatar this week:
Iga Swiatek – 6/1 – Young Polish superstar Iga Swiatek has kicked on since winning her maiden Grand Slam at the French Open in 2020 and she now sits comfortably in the world’s top 10. She reached the last 4 at the Australian Open last month and continually looks to be coming of age on the WTA Tour.
Aryna Sabalenka – 7/1 – World number two Aryna Sabalenka is the highest ranked player in the draw, with Ashleigh Barty’s continued absence from big events due to Australian COVID restrictions. Sabalenka hasn’t been in the best of form of late and taking on Alice Cornet could be a tall order in the first round.
Maria Sakkari – 8/1 – Greek superstar Maria Sakkari is seeded 6th at this event in Qatar and should come into the tournament refreshed. Her game is made for hard court tennis, and she has come on leaps and bounds at this level in 2021 and should she pick up some solid opening round wins, she could be difficult to stop.
Barbora Krejcikova – 9/1 – 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova has enjoyed a superb season on the WTA Tour and her transition from doubles specialist to Grand Slam singles winner has been remarkable. The Czech superstar has been consistent over the past 12 months across all aspects of her game, and she is good value to pick up another big tournament win here.
Garbine Muguruza – 10/1 – Two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza is supremely talented and has enjoyed her most consistent season for a while in 2021. The Spaniard will be one of the key names to beat in a packed out draw in Doha this week and playing conditions should certainly suit her game.
Simona Halep – 10/1 – Experienced Romanian Simona Halep has been slowly finding her feet again on the WTA Tour after a difficult few months and she is always a contender in any event she plays. She reached the semi-finals in Dubai last week, ousted by eventual winner Jelena Ostapenko and she could sneak under the radar somewhat in Qatar this week.
Ons Jabeur – 12/1 – Tunisian Ons Jabeur is seeded 8th here at the Qatar Open and she should relish the chance to get on court and demonstrate her A game. She reached the last 8 at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships last week, a performance she will be keen to build on here in Qatar.
Jelena Ostapenko – 16/1 – Latvian Jelena Ostapenko has been plying her trade at the top of the women’s game for over 5 years and it is hard to believe she is only 24 years old. She showed real maturity at the Dubai Duty Free last week, winning the singles, and reaching the final of the doubles and confidence is sure to be high on arrival here in Doha.
Qatar Open betxchange.com Best Bets:
Top Bet: Iga Swiatek – 6/1.
Outside Pick: Simona Halep – 10/1.
