The first WTA 1000 event of 2024 is set to begin in Doha. There are 11 matches in total on a very busy opening day in Qatar, with four of those contests predicted in this article. We at LWOT also have predictions for the other matches on day 1 in Doha, including Ashlyn Krueger vs Paula Badosa and Veronika Kudermetova vs Danielle Collins. Which players do you expect to win?
WTA Doha Day 1 Predictions
Donna Vekic vs Katerina Siniakova
Head-to-head: Siniakova 3-1 Vekic
Both women last competed at the WTA 500 event in Linz. Vekic came incredibly close to reaching the final, losing in a final-set tiebreak to Ekaterina Alexandrova in the semifinal. Siniakova exited in the second-round in Linz to Clara Burel. The Czech has a strong head-to-head record against Vekic. It shows that Siniakova has been adept at dealing with the aggressive style from the baseline of the Croatian. Yet, Vekic gets a narrow edge in Doha. She played some great tennis in Linz and looked back near her best after a slow end to 2023. Expect her to find enough of that level in Doha.
Prediction: Vekic in 3
Greet Minnen vs Tatjana Maria
Head-to-head: Minnen 1-1 Maria
Maria is seeking an instant response to a very poor performance in her last match. She was thrashed 6-0 6-1 by the 36-year-old veteran Sara Errani in the second-round in Cluj-Napoca a few days ago. Minnen suffered a more expected straight-sets defeat to the top seed in Cluj-Napoca Arantxa Rus. This could be a tight battle, but overall, Maria gets a small advantage. The former Wimbledon semifinalist has gotten past the first-round in all her tournaments so far in 2024. That shows the German responds well to setbacks at previous tournaments, and she is the favourite to do so again.
Prediction: Maria in 3
Erika Andreeva vs Diana Shnaider
Head-to-head: First meeting
This is Shnaider’s first match since winning her maiden WTA title at the Hua Hin Championships. It will be interesting to see if she can immediately regain her momentum after that triumph. Andreeva could be a tricky first-round opponent. She played very well to come through qualifying, which included an impressive victory against Diane Parry. It promises to be a very entertaining contest between the two 19-year-olds. Andreeva gets the edge to cause a slight upset. She has some momentum, and Shnaider could come out slightly rusty in her first match since that title win.
Prediction: Andreeva in 2
Emma Navarro vs Jasmine Paolini
Head-to-head: Navarro 1-0 Paolini
Paolini played one of her worst matches in the last 12 months in Linz, where she was hammered 6-2 6-2 by Katie Boulter. This is her first contest since then, while Navarro has not competed since the Australian Open. There will undoubtedly be many long rallies in this one, although Paolini with her forehand possesses slightly more power than her American opponent. Expect Paolini to get back on track in Doha with a win. Navarro’s style that employs heavy spin is not as effective in the conditions in Doha, compared to other tournaments. Paolini to hit through her effectively enough to triumph.
Prediction: Paolini in 2
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
