The February slog continues with one of the biggest weeks on the tennis calendar. While the WTA plays a 1000-point tournament in Dubai, the ATP offers a pair of 500s and a 250. Among those taking the court in either Doha, Rio de Janeiro, or Delray Beach are Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Bublik, Daniil Medvedev, Francisco Cerundolo, Joao Fonseca, Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud, and Frances Tiafoe.
It’s time to break down another busy ATP week.
Qatar ExxonMobil Open
Where: Doha, Qatar
Surface: Hard
Points: 500
Prize money: $2,833,335
Top seed: Carlos Alcaraz
Defending champion: Andrey Rublev
Draw analysis: Whenever Alcaraz and Sinner enter the same tournament, a head-to-head final seems inevitable — especially when nobody else in the top nine of the rankings is in the field. That is the case in Doha, where world No. 10 Alexander Bublik is the third seed. Neither player has a particularly difficult path through the draw. Alcaraz’s quarter is week, so the reigning Australian Open champion should coast into a semifinal matchup against either Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, or Stefanos Tsitsipas. Medvedev vs. Tsitsipas is a potential second-round matchup. Sinner faces a tough opener against Tomas Machac before possibly running into Jakub Mensik in the last eight and Bublik in the semis.
Hot: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Bublik, Jaume Munar
Cold: Andrey Rublev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexei Popyrin, Arthur Fils, Valentin Royer
Quarterfinal predictions: Carlos Alcaraz over Jaume Munar, Stefanos Tsitsipas over Andrey Rublev, Alexander Bublik over Jenson Brooksby, and Jannik Sinner over Jakub Mensik
Semifinals: Alcaraz over Tsitsipas and Sinner over Bublik
Final: Sinner over Alcaraz
Rio Open
Where: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Surface: Clay
Points: 500
Prize money: $2,469,450
Top seed: Francisco Cerundolo
Defending champion: Sebastian Baez
Draw analysis: It will once again be an absolute circus in Rio de Janeiro whenever Fonseca is in action. Twelve months ago, the 19-year-old Brazilian was coming off a title in Buenos Aires — and that did not help him in Rio, where he lost right away to Alexandre Muller. Fonseca will be well rested this time around after losing his opening match in Buenos Aires to Alejandro Tabilo. A favorable draw should also help, as the No. 3 seed will be heavily favored in his first two matches before likely facing either Matteo Berrettini or Lorenzo Sonego in the quarterfinals. Luciano Darderi and Sebastian Baez are on a collision course for the semis at the bottom of the bracket. At the top of the draw, Cerundolo opens with fellow Argentine Mariano Navone before possibly meeting Muller or Tabilo in the last eight.
Hot: Luciano Darderi, Sebastian Baez
Cold: Matteo Berrettini, Daniel Altmaier, Mariano Navone, Cristian Garin
Quarterfinal predictions: Francisco Cerundolo over Alexandre Muller, Lorenzo Sonego over Joao Fonseca, Sebastian Baez over Tomas Martin Etcheverry, and Luciano Darderi over Camilo Ugo Carabelli
Semifinals: Cerundolo over Sonego and Darderi over Baez
Final: Darderi over Cerundolo
Delray Beach Open
Where: Delray Beach, Florida
Surface: Hard
Points: 250
Prize money: $700,045
Top seed: Taylor Fritz
Defending champion: Miomir Kecmanovic
Draw analysis: Don’t sleep on Delray Beach just because it’s a 250 — it will undoubtedly go down as one of the best 250s of the year. Fritz, Ruud, and Tiafoe are joined in a deep field by Tommy Paul, Learner Tien, Valentin Vacherot, Sebastian Korda, Alex Michelsen, and Marin Cilic. Korda, Michelsen, and Cilic aren’t even seeded. Look no further than the first round to appreciate the impressiveness of this draw. Matchups include Vacherot vs. Michelsen, Cilic vs. Brandon Nakashima, Paul vs. Corentin Moutet, Ethan Quinn vs. Rafael Jodar, and Eliot Spizzirri vs. Gabriel Diallo. Fritz vs. Paul and Tiafoe vs. Tien are potential quarterfinal showdowns, although Fritz’s participation has to be in question following a long week in Dallas when he was already dealing with some physical issues.
Hot: Learner Tien, Valentin Vacherot, Nuno Borges, Ethan Quinn, Eliot Spizzirri, Rafael Jodar
Cold: Flavio Cobolli, Mackenzie McDonald, Gabriel Diallo, Mattia Bellucci
Quarterfinal predictions: Tommy Paul over Ethan Quinn, Learner Tien over Frances Tiafoe, Nuno Borges over Terence Atmane, and Alex Michelsen over Casper Ruud
Semifinals: Paul over and Tien and Michelsen over Borges
Final: Paul over Michelsen