The lengthy slog that’s the February swing on the ATP Tour is lastly coming to an finish, however it’s going out with a bang. A pair of 500-point tournaments are on this week’s schedule, with Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, and Andy Murray taking the courtroom. Djokovic, Medvedev, and Murray headline the Dubai area together with Andrey Rublev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Hubert Hurkacz. Alcaraz is joined in Acapulco by Casper Ruud, Taylor Fritz, and Holger Rune. In the meantime, the Golden Swing wraps up in Santiago.
Listed here are my previews and picks for this week’s ATP tournaments.
Dubai Responsibility Free Tennis Championships
The place: Dubai, U.A.E. Floor: Laborious Factors: 500 Prize cash: $2,855,495
Prime seed: Novak Djokovic Defending champion: Andrey Rublev
That is Djokovic’s first look because the Australian Open and it’ll in all probability be his final till the clay-court swing. Indian Wells and Miami are as soon as once more a no-go for the unvaccinated Serb barring a last-minute miracle, so he can empty the tank in Dubai earlier than taking greater than a month off upfront of the Monte-Carlo Masters. Djokovic is 43-7 lifetime in Dubai with 5 titles, so based mostly on each previous historical past and present type it’s important to like his possibilities this week. Being in the identical half of the draw as Medvedev may find yourself being robust within the semifinals, however the Russian will certainly be at the least considerably fatigued following back-to-back titles in Rotterdam and Doha.
The underside half of the Dubai draw is the place everybody desires to seek out themselves. No Djokovic. No Medvedev. Even Murray (runner-up in Doha) and Hurkacz (champion in Marseille) are within the high half. Which means the door is open for Jiri Lehecka to make one other run, or Rublev and Felix Auger-Aliassime can get again on monitor.
Quarterfinal picks: Novak Djokovic over Andy Murray, Daniil Medvedev over Dan Evans, Felix Auger-Aliassime over Jiri Lehecka, Karen Khachanov over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Semifinals: Djokovic over Medvedev and Auger-Aliassime over Khachanov
Remaining: Djokovic over Auger-Aliassime
Abierto Mexicano Telcel
The place: Acapulco, Mexico Floor: Laborious Factors: 500 Prize cash: $2,013,940 Prime seed: Carlos Alcaraz 2022 champion: Rafael Nadal (not enjoying)
Alcaraz will in all probability withdraw. If not, I anticipate him to lose early. Enjoying back-to-back finals on clay (Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro) is hard sufficient even at 100%, however when you’re additionally coping with a leg harm it’s troublesome to get better. The 19-year-old Spaniard has semifinal factors to defend in Indian Wells and title factors to defend in Miami, so he must relaxation up. If Alcaraz does exit, an enormous alternative presents itself to Fritz and fellow People Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe, and Brandon Nakashima within the high half of the bracket. Fritz, nonetheless, faces a troublesome opener towards John Isner—who is particularly harmful in Acapulco situations.
Norrie, who beat Alcaraz within the Rio Open closing, is on the opposite aspect of the draw and will additionally pull out. Both approach, his possibilities for rapid success going from consecutive clay-court finals to a hard-court match are slim to none. Rune could also be lower than 100% due to a shoulder concern, so look out for Ruud, Alex de Minaur, and Matteo Berrettini.
Quarterfinal picks: Tommy Paul over Brandon Nakashima, Taylor Fritz over Frances Tiafoe, Matteo Berrettini over Holger Rune, and Alex de Minaur over Casper Ruud
Semifinals: Fritz over Paul and Berrettini over De Minaur
Remaining: Fritz over Berrettini
Movistar Open
The place: Santiago, Chile Floor: Clay Factors: 250 Prize cash: $642,735
Prime seed: Lorenzo Musetti Defending champion: Pedro Martinez
Alcaraz and Norrie are taking their abilities from the Golden Swing to the onerous courts of Acapulco, so each closing spots on the final leg of the February clay-court run are up for grabs to some completely different gamers. A kind of contenders to a red-hot Nicolas Jarry, who reached the semifinals in Rio earlier than falling to Alcaraz in three units. Chilean crowds are at all times raucous, so Jarry will get superior crowd help in Santiago. The very best seed in Jarry’s quarter is an ice-cold Diego Schwartzman and No. 1 seed Lorenzo Musetti isn’t in notably good type, both, so the door is open.
Chile’s highest-ranked participant, Cristian Garin, finds himself on the opposite aspect of the bracket. Up first for him is a blockbuster first-round battle with Dominic Thiem, whose comeback from a wrist harm has hit a critical snag when it comes to poor 2023 outcomes. It’s a troublesome draw for each guys particularly contemplating that Sebastian Baez awaits in spherical two.
Quarterfinal picks: Albert Ramos-Vinolas over Lorenzo Musetti, Nicolas Jarry over Roberto Carballes Baena, Sebastian Baez over Laslo Djere, and Dusan Lajovic over Francisco Cerundolo
Semifinals: Jarry over Ramos-Vinolas and Baez over Lajovic
Remaining: Jarry over Baez
Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and likewise maintains his personal tennis web site, The Grandstand. You possibly can observe him on Twitter at @Dimonator.
