One day after Novak Djokovic was bounced out of the ATP 500 event in Doha, all second round matches will take place on what surely will be an exciting Wednesday of tennis. This set of predictions from LWOT features Top 10 players Alex De Minaur and Andrey Rublev; We also have other picks featuring Carlos Alcaraz.
ATP Doha Day 3 Predictions
Alex De Minaur vs Botic Van de Zandschulp
Head-to-head: De Minaur 2-0
The pair recently played at the 2025 Australian Open, where De Minaur won in straight sets without facing much pressure. The Aussie’s counterpunching and defense should be able to outlast Van de Zandschulp, who has struggled for much of the season so far. The underdog will have to serve big and take advantage of his three wins in Doha this week: two in qualifying and one in the main draw.
Prediction: De Minaur in 2
Matteo Berrettini vs Tallon Griekspoor
Head-to-head: Griekspoor 1-0
This will be a fascinating rematch from a showdown two weeks ago in Rotterdam, as Griekspoor upset Berrettini in a third-set tiebreak. Now, Berrettini is coming off a shock upset win over Novak Djokovic, winning 7-6 (4) 6-2 on Tuesday. There is always an added challenge of backing up a big upset, but I think the Italian will be fresh enough and confident to march into the quarterfinals. The Italian tends to play better on outdoor hard courts compared to indoor courts, which should help him in Doha.
Prediction: Berrettini in 3
Hamad Medjedovic vs Felix Auger-Aliassime
Head-to-head: First meeting
Both players made it to this stage by taking the scenic route; they won in third-set tiebreakers, while Medjedovic upset Stefanos Tsitsipas for his third career win over a Top 20 player. Auger-Aliassime tends to outhit opponents at his best, but he often struggled on break point opportunities and committed lots of unforced errors in a win over Quentin Halys. It’s also important to note that Medjedovic is coming off an ATP 250 final appearance last week–falling to Ugo Humbert in Marseille and making the trek across continents to get to Doha–and he may be fatigued. Look for the Canadian to capitalize and win in two close sets.
Prediction: Auger-Aliassime in 2
Andrey Rublev vs Nuno Borges
Head-to-head: Rublev 1-0
Rublev will look to perform better in Doha this year, after a surprising quarterfinal loss to Jakub Mensik in straight sets last year. The Russian should be able to play more aggressive tennis than Borges, and the faster courts will suit his style of tennis. Rublev looked strong in a 6-3 6-4 win over Alexander Bublik, and I think he’ll keep up his momentum to win in straightforward fashion.
Prediction: Rublev in 2
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
