Announcer for the 2021 Qatar Total Open, Andy Taylor recaps Ons Jabeur’s Round-1 victory over qualifier Anna Blinkova. Now the highest ranked Arab player in WTA history, last year Jabeur electrified fans in Doha — upsetting World #3 Karolina Pliskova to reach her first career Premier-5 (now WTA-1000) Quarterfinal.
Third meeting, second this year. Ons Jabeur remains undefeated.
Ons Jabeur has yet to lose a set against the talented Russian. Last month, Tunisia’s top-talent defeated Blinkova in Round-1 of the Grampians Trophy – after both endured hard lockdowns in Mebourne.
Ons Jabeur -31- (TUN) | Round-1 Announcer Introduction
In 2012, she made her first Doha appearance as a 17-year-old Wild Card ranked outside the top 12-hundred. And in just 9 short years, she’s become one of the most popular talents on Tour. She’s now the highest ranked Arab player in WTA history. Last season, she became the first Arab woman to reach the Quarterfinals of a Major at the Australian Open. Then here in Doha, she reached her first WTA-1000 Quarterfinal, before the global pandemic slammed the brakes on the season. When play resumed, she got right back to it – reaching her second WTA-1000 Quarterfinal at the Western & Southern Open – and by January, cracked the WTA’s top-30 for the first time. A fan favorite, competing in her 9th Qatar Total Open – please welcome – a 100% Tunisian product, Ons Jabeur.
This is Ons Jabeur’s first automatic main draw Doha appearance, without being awarded a Wild Card by the Qatar Tennis Federation.
- R1 — W — [Q] Anna Blinkova -69- (RUS) | Score: 6-2, 6-2
[Q] Anna Blinkova -69- (RUS) | Round-1 Announcer Introduction
Back for her 4th Qatar Total Open – Yesterday, she defeated Bethanie Mattek-Sands to qualify here in Doha for the third time. In fact, three of her biggest career victories have come on these courts. In 2018, as a 19-year-old qualifier ranked outside the top-160 – she upset World #23 Elena Vesnina, then World #13 Kristina Mladenovic to reach Round-3 of a WTA-1000 event for the first time. A year later, she qualified again – then upset World #12 Anastasija Sevastova in the 1st-Round. Last September, she reached her first Grand Doubles Semifinal at the US Open – and just 11 days ago, reached her 3rd WTA Doubles Final at the Phillip Island Trophy in Melbourne. From Russia, please welcome Anna Blinkova.
- R1 — L — Ons Jabeur -31- (TUN) | Score: 2-6, 2-6
- Q3 — W — Bethanie Mattek-Sands -299- (USA) | Score: 6-3, 7-6(3)
- Q2 — W — Ena Shibahara -502- (JPN) | Score: 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
- Q1 — W — Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove -181- (NED) | Score: 6-2, 6-3
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2021 Qatar Total Open: Different Date. Unusual Circumstances.
In 2021, due to the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic, the WTA Tour rescheduled the Qatar Total Open to take place the first week of March. A portion of the season typically carved-out for week-1 of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. When Indian Wells postponed its tournament due to COVID-19’s continued threat to the Coachella Valley, the Tour reinvented the calendar.
As a result, in January Abu Dhabi hosted the season’s first event. A WTA-500 tournament specifically created to get players back on court. Dubai then hosted Australian Open qualifying, while main-draw entrants traveled to Australia for two weeks of quarantine. Meanwhile, Tennis Australia moved the Australian Open to the second week of February to accommodate the country’s strict pandemic protocols. Immediately following quarantine, the WTA hosted several new tournaments in Melbourne Park. All designed as lead-up events to the season’s first Major. After Oz, Adelaide hosted its postponed tournament, while most traveled to the Arab Gulf to prepare for the Qatar Total Open and Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Doha: Rebranded in 2021 from Premier to a WTA-500 Tournament
The WTA also rebranded the 2021 Qatar Total Open a WTA-500 event, after the Tour realigned its tournament tier structure during the off-season. Rather than International, Premier, Premier-5 and Premier Mandatory; starting in 2021, all WTA events became classified as WTA-250, WTA-500 and WTA-1000 tournaments (similar to the ATP Tour).
Moving forward, the Qatar Total Open and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships will continue to alternate the WTA’s two Arab Gulf events. More specifically, on “even” years the Qatar Total Open will host the WTA-1000 event with a field of 64. Consequently, during “odd” years, it will feature a WTA-500 event with a field of 32.
Coronavirus: Delivering a top-shelf international event responsibly
While the Qatar Tennis Federation allowed fans to attend the 2021 Qatar Total Open, the QTF sold tickets at reduced capacity. All wore masks, encountered temperature checks upon arrival, and adhered to social-distancing guidelines – required to sit several seats apart.
Players, WTA staff and umpires lived in their own “bubble” at the Four Seasons. Meanwhile, tournament support, lines-people, ball persons and the announcer stayed in a separate “bubble” at Ezdan Palace. All underwent routine coronavirus testing and regular temperature checks. Everyone was required to wear masks at all times (except players and umpires during competition). The locker-room was off-limits for the athletes until their match was on-deck, and none were allowed to shower on site. Every aspect of post-match recovery took place at the player hotel.
Pandemic Event Hosting: Champions adjust
From behind-the-scenes pandemic protocols to extreme “socially-distanced” on-court interviews and trophy presentations – the Qatar Tennis Federation and WTA adhered to every science-guided precaution to ensure the safety of all involved. And by doing so, despite all of the obvious challenges, delivered another top-shelf experience for both players and fans on site and those watching around the world.
Hosting high-profile international events during a devastating pandemic is possible. That is, when organizers have the courage, compassion and ingenuity to reinvent the way things are done; when they have the flexibility and financial support to adjust expectation. And as we’ve all learned after one year of separation, isolation, anxiety and heart-break: the “escape” that televised sports provides is invaluable to mental health. A welcome distraction to a very un-welcome new reality.
