Qatar Tennis, Squash, and Badminton Federation officials and the representatives of sponsors with the players during the official draw ceremony held at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, yesterday.
Doha, Qatar: World No.1 Iga Swiatek could meet former US Open champion Sloane Stephens in the second round of the Qatar TotalEnergies Open, while four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka will face a tough task against Caroline Garcia in the opening round.
Swiatek, who leads a star cast at the premier WTA 1000 event which begins tomorrow, would face the winner of the Round of 64 clash between the American Stephens and Romania’s Sorana Cirstea, in her first match at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex this time.
Along with the current US Open champion Coco Gauff, Swiatek, aiming for an unprecedented third consecutive title in Doha, leads the top seeds who all receive first-round byes in a fiercely competitive draw.
The former World No.1 Osaka marks her return to Doha for the first time since 2018, facing a challenging first-round against Garcia, the current World No.21, setting the stage for a highly anticipated rematch of their Australian Open encounter, which the latter clinched in straight sets last month.
Meanwhile, Jelena Ostapenko who is fresh off her second title of the season, may face potential early challenges from Beatriz Haddad Maia, Emma Raducanu and Victoria Azarenka, the latter being the only player to defeat her this year.
The second quarter of the draw showcases Tunisia's No.4 seed Ons Jabeur and No.7 seed Maria Sakkari, with potential matchups against notable players such as Barbora Krejcikova, signaling intense battles ahead.
The bottom half of the draw is equally competitive, with No.2 seed Gauff, alongside Elena Rybakina, Zheng Qinwen, and Marketa Vondrousova, all poised for deep runs following impressive performances in recent tournaments.
The Qatar TotalEnergies Open, a marquee event in the women’s tennis calendar, features a 56-player singles draw and a 28-team doubles draw. Despite the absence of World No.2 Aryna Sabalenka and No.4 Jessica Pegula, the draw remains highly competitive, with 18 of the Top 20 players gearing up for intense battles.
