The ATP Doha Day 1 starts Monday and only one seed is scheduled to take to the court. We take a look at the first round matches that kick off the event. Who do you think will win?
ATP Doha Day 1
Pavel Kotov vs Lorenzo Sonego
Head to Head: 1-0
The first match of ATP Doha Day 1. Neither Pavel Kotov or Lorenzo Sonego have had much success since the season started. Kotov has not played a main tour event since the Australian Open where he lost in the second round. The Russian will want to do better and go beyond the early stages. Lorenzo Sonego lost in the second round at the Australian Open and the first round in Rotterdam. The Italian will also want to level up the head to head which Kotov leads, having claimed the victory last season in Stockholm
Prediction: Kotov in 3
Marton Fucsovics vs Roberto Bautista Agut
Head to Head: 1-3
Hungarian Marton Fucsovics last defeated his Spanish opponent in 2021. The Spaniard has taken the last two meetings, only one of them has been in straight sets. Ranking and ages are about even, so the only difference has been the head to head. In the last three events, Fucovics has lost in either the first or second round, he has played two events. The Spaniard played all three, but failed to qualify for Rotterdam.
Prediction: Bautista Agut in 2
Alexei Popyrin vs Abdullah Shelbayh
Head to Head: First Meeting
Australian Alexei Popyrin will be the favourite as he is the higher ranked. The Australian would have been disappointed to go out of his home slam in the second round. Unfortunately for him, his opponent that round was Novak Djokovic. Popyrin did however claim a set of the Serbian before losing. Abdullah Shelbayh failed to qualify for the Australian Open, but has made the quarterfinal of the last three Challenger events he entered.
Prediction: Popyrin in 2
Fabian Marozsan vs Vit Kopriva
Head to Head: First meeting
Although showing as first meeting, this applies to the main tour. Fabian Marozsan and Vit Kopriva have met three times on the lower tiers. The Czech player actually leads the meetings 2-1 on lower tier level head to head. Neither have had very good results since the Australian Open. Marozsan made the third round in Australia, whereas Kopriva got through qualifying and then lost in the first round.
Prediction: Kopriva in 3
Zhizhen Zhang vs Lorenzo Musetti
Head to Head: First Meeting
The first time these have met at all. Zhang made the quarter final in Marseille after defeating Félix Auger-Aliassime in the previous round. Chinese Zhang is unseeded and Italian Musetti is the seventh seed. Musetti was also in Marseille but lost in the second round. Musetti should take the victory here
Prediction: Musetti in 3
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
