Qatar Exxon Mobil Open - Doha - ATP 250

[Moxie]

DATE: JANUARY 01 - 06 2018
SURFACE: Hard
PRIZE MONEY: $1,286,675
FIELD SIZE: 32
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Novak Djokovic

Seeds:

TBD

The Tournament:

Founded in 1993, it is one of 2 ATP tournaments in the Middle East. Federer, Murray and Nadal have won multiple titles here.

About Doha

Doha, capital of Qatar, pop. 1.35million, is located on the coast o the Persian Gulf. Once a British protectorate, it was early-on sustained by the pearl trade. However, Qatar is now independent, and described by its oil wealth.

Tourism Guide:

 

[britbox]

 

[GameSetAndMath]

That is a major set back to Novak. If he is not able to play after six months off, there is not much chance that he will be successful in the first half of 2018.

 

[mcekovic]

Doha 2018 Forecast:

1 3

Tomas Berdych 13.3% 19 4 2062 2032 66.0% 63.0% 32
2 1

Dominic Thiem 12.2% 5 4 2005 1963 63.5% 52.5% 1 24
3 5

Richard Gasquet 12.0% 31 7 1991 2023 61.7% 62.5% 31
4 WC

Gael Monfils 8.4% 46 6 1998 2056 58.8% 63.2% 31
5 7

Fernando Verdasco 7.6% 35 7 1940 1988 53.7% 54.5% 34
6 8

Feliciano Lopez 6.6% 36 12 1935 1859 52.1% 36.4% 1 36
7

Andrey Rublev 6.2% 39 35 1929 1940 54.5% 47.6% 1 20
8 2

Pablo Carreno Busta 5.3% 10 10 1903 1855 58.1% 48.5% 1 26
9

Guido Pella 4.1% 64 39 1838 1869 48.5% 50.0% 27
10 4

Albert Ramos 3.7% 23 17 1848 1813 52.3% 38.5% 29

Live forecast, as tournament go: http://www.ultimatetennisstatistics.com/inProgressEventForecast?name=Doha

 

[mrzz]

Early test for Thiem here... he is not supposed to do well on HC just yet, but I sense he is trying very hard to be a factor off clay. Window of opportunity to start the year with momentum. If I could bet on something, is that Thiem will fight like his life was at stake in this tournament.

 

[Moxie]

Early test for Thiem here... he is not supposed to do well on HC just yet, but I sense he is trying very hard to be a factor off clay. Window of opportunity to start the year with momentum. If I could bet on something, is that Thiem will fight like his life was at stake in this tournament.

Agreed, and I'd give him the edge over Berdych. Odds-makers are no geniuses, as far as I can tell.

 

[DarthFed]

Wide open tournament but I wouldn't bet on Thiem to be the one to take advantage. He hasn't shown a pulse off clay.

 

[Moxie]

Wide open tournament but I wouldn't bet on Thiem to be the one to take advantage. He hasn't shown a pulse off clay.

Not if you don't count a grass title in Stuttgart and a HC title in Acapulco. Surely that's above no pulse at all. You are very miserly with your praise.

 

[mrzz]

..but he does need to step up in HC, and I am guessing he knows that damn well, the moment he can face the big guys in HC with half the threat he poses on clay, is the moment he joined their club.

 

[DarthFed]

Not if you don't count a grass title in Stuttgart and a HC title in Acapulco. Surely that's above no pulse at all. You are very miserly with your praise.

Well that's two more titles than I thought he's had. Anyways don't get so defensive as I can easily point out how "miserly" your praise is for certain players such as Berdych.

 

[Moxie]

Well that's two more titles than I thought he's had. Anyways don't get so defensive as I can easily point out how "miserly" your praise is for certain players such as Berdych.

Fair enough. I don't think much of Berdych, that's true.

 

[DarthFed]

Fair enough. I don't think much of Berdych, that's true.

I like Thiem's game and he will definitely get better. The question is how much better will he get because he is pretty far off from being a slam contender aside from RG if a lot went his way. There are younger guys who appear to have more potential. Thiem's court position and lack of anticipation are what hurt him most. I was at the match against Ferrer at Cincy last year and he was getting blown off the court.

 

[Moxie]

I like Thiem's game and he will definitely get better. The question is how much better will he get because he is pretty far off from being a slam contender aside from RG if a lot went his way. There are younger guys who appear to have more potential. Thiem's court position and lack of anticipation are what hurt him most. I was at the match against Ferrer at Cincy last year and he was getting blown off the court.

I like Thiem ok, but I don't think he'll every be really top-tier. I think he works hard and has a sturdy head, so I agree he'll get better.

Watched the end Coric v. PCB today. Carreño Busta had several match points at different points, but he was a bit too passive, and Coric finally took advantage. Bad loss for Pablo today, but good win for Coric. Nice start to the year. Pablo was the #2 seed.

 

[mrzz]

I like Thiem ok, but I don't think he'll every be really top-tier.

Funny, we have completely opposite views here. The only young player which I am sure will be top tier is Thiem. All the rest I believe it when I see it, including Zverev.

 

[DarthFed]

^ Really? I see way more potential in Zverev. He won two big events past year which is something Thiem has only threatened to do once. Zverev will be the much better player between the two on HC and grass.

 

[Moxie]

Doesn't happen every day, but I agree with Darth. And don't forget that Zverev's first MS 1000 was at Rome on clay. Granted, Djokovic was a no-show in the final, but there was Sasha to scoop it up, not Dominic.

 

[Moxie]

And Berdy loses to a very good Struff in 3rd set TB, so short trip on his return back.

 

[mcekovic]

Zverev and Thiem are already Top Tier, if you believe in ATP rankings, they are 4 and 5 respectively (3 and 4 are their best rankings, also respectively).
If you believe more in Elo rankings, like me, both Zverev and Thiem are far from Top Tier, they are 11 and 19 (http://www.ultimatetennisstatistics.com/rankingsTable?rankType=ELO_RATING) (with 5 and 6 being their best Elo rankings).
So both had a drop in last third of 2017 and Elo is reflecting it, while ATP rankings still not.

 

[DarthFed]

Zverev and Thiem are already Top Tier, if you believe in ATP rankings, they are 4 and 5 respectively (3 and 4 are their best rankings, also respectively).
If you believe more in Elo rankings, like me, both Zverev and Thiem are far from Top Tier, they are 11 and 19 (http://www.ultimatetennisstatistics.com/rankingsTable?rankType=ELO_RATING) (with 5 and 6 being their best Elo rankings).
So both had a drop in last third of 2017 and Elo is reflecting it, while ATP rankings still not.

To put it bluntly they are both fake elite right now. They took great advantage of the injuries last year. But it should be noted that last year's injuries have carried forward to this year so this may be the new status quo. But no, they haven't had the results to be truly elite at this point. Zverev will get there this year IMO.

 

[Horsa]

DATE: JANUARY 01 - 06 2018
SURFACE: Hard
PRIZE MONEY: $1,286,675
FIELD SIZE: 32
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Novak Djokovic

Seeds:

TBD

The Tournament:

Founded in 1993, it is one of 2 ATP tournaments in the Middle East. Federer, Murray and Nadal have won multiple titles here.

About Doha

Doha, capital of Qatar, pop. 1.35million, is located on the coast o the Persian Gulf. Once a British protectorate, it was early-on sustained by the pearl trade. However, Qatar is now independent, and described by its oil wealth.

Tourism Guide:

It looks a lovely place but if you go there you've got to abide by strict rules. It's a nice place to be if you go to see the tennis live as you can sight-see afterwards.