This week’s ATP event in Doha has a very strong draw for an ATP 250 tournament. None of the top seeds will be in action on day 1 of the tournament, but there should still be a lot of exciting matches with unpredictable outcomes. All five matchups will be occurring for the first time ever, which makes for some interesting predictions. Who do you think will win?
ATP Doha Day 1 Predictions
Aslan Karatsev vs Jason Kubler
Head-to-head: first meeting
The two players seem to be on opposite places right now: while Kubler has been steadily rising, Karatsev has been on free fall ever since his hot early 2021 run. At his best, Karatsev is a force to be reckoned with and can hit through most opponents but that seems highly unlikely to materialize tomorrow and Kubler should have the slight edge.
Prediction: Kubler in 3
Fernando Verdasco vs Christopher O’Connell
Head-to-head: first meeting
Fernando Verdasco is trying his best to stay in the Tour, but he’s been having a very tough time. The 39-year-old Spaniard has only won 13 ATP matches since the beginning of 2020 and he could really use a good run to gain some momentum back. O’Connell is a kind enough opening round opponent that Verdasco might just find enough inspiration to get a win.
Prediction: Verdasco in 3
Oleksii Krutykh vs Liam Broady
Head-to-head: first meeting
It’s not very often that we have a match between two such lower ranked players at ATP level, but this is a huge opportunity for both players to get a rare win a this level. On this surface, Broady theoretically has the edge but it’s likely to be a very even match decided by small details.
Prediction: Broady in 3
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs Constant Lestienne
Head-to-head: first meeting
Dadidovich Fokina has been playing well this season but having some bad luck with draws and losing some close matches. On hard court, Lestienne should be able to put up some resistance and maybe even take a set but the Spaniard is clearly the favorite to win.
Prediction: Dadidovich Fokina in 3
Andy Murray vs Lorenzo Sonego
Head-to-head: first meeting
Andy Murray had a very encouraging performance at the Australian Open and will be looking to continue climbing up the rankings, surely aiming to get seeded in time for Wimbledon. Sonego won’t be an easy first round opponent, but Murray should be able to pull through here.
Prediction: Murray in 3
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey USAToday Sports
