ATP Doha: Preview and Predictions

The ATP is also very busy this week with three tournaments gracing the schedule in Doha, Brisbane and Chennai.

ATP Doha

Doha has always been the flagship event in the first week of the year, often attracting at least one of the big four; however this has been a tough year for the event in Qatar because Roger Federer has opted out of the event and Rafael Nadal remains sidelined by stomach/knee problems.  David Ferrer has now been boosted to the top seed and will fancy his chances of yet another tournament win following a staggering seven titles in 2012.  Ferrer takes on a qualifier in the first round and should not be tested with Pablo Andujar and Mikhail Youzhny the highest seeds he can face before the final.

At the other end of the draw, the number two seed and barely-clinging-onto-the-top-10, Richard Gasquet will also open against a qualifier and could face an all French semi-final if Jeremy Chardy can progress through the draw.  All in all, this tournament is unlikely to set the world alight and it will be a surprise if the top two do not make the final.

Final Prediction: Ferrer d. Gasquet

Full Predictions for Doha HERE

ATP Brisbane

Brisbane offers the most varied draw with a handful of quality players hoping to offer some resistance to Andy Murray who is defending the title,  The Brit, who suffered a straight sets loss to Janko Tipsarevic in the Abu Dhabi Exhibition, plays Tatsuma Ito or a qualifier in the opening round and is projected to meet Martin Klizan in the quarter-finals; the Slovak could easily be upstaged by Denis Istomin in the first round or either Radek Stepanek or Lleyton Hewitt who play each other in one of the most interesting first rounders.

Alexandr Dolgopolov and Kei Nishikori are likely to meet in the second quarter-final, meanwhile Florian Mayer and Gilles Simon are the highest seeds in the third quarter.  Milos Raonic bookends the draw and faces a tricky second rounder against Grigor Dimitrov or Brian Baker.  In the bottom half, I fancy the unseeded Marcos Baghdatis and David Goffin to both progress to the quarter-finals, but ultimately it should be plain sailing for a fully charged Murray... if not, then Nishikori will be next in line to take this title.

Final Prediction: Murray d. Simon

Full Predictions for Brisbane HERE

ATP Chennai:

The final event in Chennai looks to be an awfully one-sided affair with a solid top four, but nothing else of note.  Tomas Berdych and Marin Cilic are projected to meet in the first semi-final, and Stanislas Wawrinka and Janko Tipsarevic in the second one.  Robin Haase and Benoit Paire are the only other players that I see barely threatening the top four in this draw.  I am not sure about Berdych's chances for 2013 at this moment so I am going for Cilic to start the season strongly with the Chennai title.

Final Prediction: Cilic d. Tipsarevic

Full Predictions for Chennai HERE