The first WTA 1000 event of the year is taking place in Doha this year. There are twelve main draw matches on Sunday’s schedule at the WTA Qatar Open and, as ever, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the slate, including Belinda Bencic vs Clara Tauson and Yulia Putintseva vs Victoria Azarenka. Who do you think will advance?
WTA Qatar Day 1 Predictions
Madison Brengle vs Ipek Oz
Head-to-head: First meeting
While Ipek Oz is coming off a career-best season on the ITF Women’s Tennis Tour (four finals, one more to start her 2022 campaign), her experience at this level of the competition is extremely scarce. Madison Brengle is not exactly someone who will blow her off the court, but the American is as solid as a rock and won at least one match in all events played this year. The Turkish wildcard is likely not ready for her quality yet.
Prediction: Brengle in 2
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Jessica Pegula vs Katerina Siniakova
Head-to-head: 1-1
Katerina Siniakova won this matchup last year on grass at Bad Homburg. The Czech is excellent at utilizing all-court tactics and would generally prefer to contest this one on a faster surface. Jessica Pegula should have the upper hand in baseline rallies and the slower hard court conditions in Doha are expected to suit her very well. Last year, the American made it all the way to the semifinals here.
Prediction: Pegula in 3
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Sofia Kenin vs Ann Li
Head-to-head: Kenin 2-0
Sofia Kenin might be on a four-match losing streak, but don’t let that fool you – the opponents were extremely tough (Ashleigh Barty, Daria Kasatkina, Madison Keys, Jelena Ostapenko). All of them reached at least the semifinals in their respective events and the American is definitely playing better than in her woeful 2021 campaign. With Ann Li not quite in her best form of late, this feels like a golden chance to start regaining confidence.
Prediction: Kenin in 3
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Liudmila Samsonova vs Alize Cornet
Head-to-head: Samsonova 1-0
Alize Cornet made the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, but all her other three tournaments this year ended in an opening-round exit. The dynamics of the match are easy to predict with Liudmila Samsonova being one of the most forceful players on the tour, but the outcome isn’t. The Russian hasn’t really impressed this year yet and would rather take this matchup on a faster hard court, like the one in Limoges (indoors), where she beat Alize Cornet back in 2019.
Prediction: Cornet in 3
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