Raw determination. You can build a tennis career without it, but you’ll retire with an empty trophy case. Aryna Sabalenka personifies those two words. Forget watching — simply listen to Aryna play. It’s clear from ball up: She is unapologetically “raw.” Unabashedly “determined.”
Years from now, this title – this week – will be on the short-list of Aryna Sabalenka’s personal career highlights. For starters, she captured Doha’s Falcon on the first try – to win a title in one’s event debut is always special. Additionally, she won the Qatar Total Open the year after her doubles partner, Elise Mertens. For Aryna, knowing that she and Elise will always be featured side-by-side as Doha Singles Champions is a big deal.
Finally, the Qatar Total Open was the first title Aryna won after the loss of her father back in November. Aryna’s Dad always pushed her, with undisputed belief that she could become World #1. This victory is the first brick in the construction of a career monument that will honor her father’s years of sacrifice. Now a 3-time Premier-5 Champion and 10-time Tour-level Finalist – at just 21-years-old, this is just the beginning.
REMARKABLE. SU-WEI HSIEH AND BARBORA STRYCOVA ARE NOW 17-1 IN 2020
Another week, another title. Strycova and Hsieh have played 18 matches together since the season began. Their only loss came in the championship match of the Australian Open. As the reigning Wimbledon Champions, Melbourne marked their second Major Final. Now with 3 titles in the first two months of the new season (Brisbane, Dubai and Doha), the pair has become the tandem to beat in 2020. On Monday, Su-wei Hsieh will reclaim the World #1 ranking, and is now one of only 7 players who owns two Qatar Total Open Doubles titles.
Recaps of the 25 matches played on Center Court
The Quarterfinals
Round of 16
Round 2
Round 1
Qualifying Rounds and Draw Ceremony
2020 Qatar Total Open | The Draw Explained
QUALIFYING SINGLES DRAW | Field of 32 | 21 Feb – 22 Feb
* Best-ranked 29 commitments outside the top-43 cut, plus 3 Qualifying Wild Cards.
* Two Qualifying Rounds. Final 8 players reach the main draw
* 24 total matches: 16-R1, 8-R2
SINGLES DRAW | Field of 64 | 23 Feb – 29 Feb
* Top-43 commitments, of which the top-16 are seeded. Plus Yaroslava Shvedova ** (Protected ranking).
* The top 8 seeds receive a Round-1 Bye.
* Plus 8 Qualifiers and 4 Wild Cards.
* 55 total matches: 24-R1, 16-R2, 8-R3, 4-QF, 2-SF, 1-F.
DOUBLES DRAW | Field of 32 | 23 Feb – 29 Feb
* 28 total Teams, including 3 Wild Cards. The top 4 Teams receive a Round-1 Bye.
* 27 total matches: 12-R1, 8-R2, 4-QF, 2-SF, 1-F
YAROSLAVA SHVEDOVA **
The former World #25 hasn’t played a match since the 2017 French Open. A 2-time Grand Slam Doubles Champion, she’s using a protected ranking of World #47 to launch her comeback in Doha’s main draw. She also plans to use her PR for direct entry into both Indian Wells and Miami.
So what took her away from the sport?
In 2017 during a Quarterfinal run in Nürnberg, Shvedova injured her ankle. After a 1st-Round loss to Elina Svitolina at Roland Garros, she opted for season-ending surgery and rehabilitation. Then, in October 2018, she became a mom for the first time with twins (boy and girl). 16-months later, the 32-year-old is ready to get back on Tour.
LEADING NATIONS | Qatar Total Open Singles Titles
RUS: 6 – Anastasia Myskina (2), Maria Sharpova (2), Nadia Petrova, Vera Zvonareva
CZE: 3 – Lucie Safarova, Karolina Pliskova, Petra Kvitova
BEL: 2 – Justine Henin, Elise Mertens
BLR: 2 – Victoria Azarenka (2)
LEADING NATIONS | Qatar Total Open Doubles Titles
TPE: 6 – Janet Lee, Hsieh Su-wei, Latisha Chan (2), Chan Hao-ching (2)
USA: 5 – Lisa Raymond, Liezel Huber, Raquel Atawo, Abigail Spears (2)
ITA: 4 – Roberta Vinci (2), Francesca Schiavone, Sara Errani
MAIN DRAW SINGLES | As of 21 February 2020
[1] Ashleigh Barty -01- (AUS)
[2] Simona Halep -02- (ROU) — 2014 Champion
[3] Karolina Pliskova -03- (CZE) — 2015 Champion
[4] Belinda Bencic -04- (SUI)
Bianca Andreescu -05- (CAN)
[5] Elina Svitolina -06- (UKR)
[6] Sofia Kenin -07- (USA)
[7] Kiki Bertens -08- (NED)
[8] Petra Kvitova -11- (CZE) — 2018 Champion
[9] Aryna Sabalenka -13- (BLR)
Johanna Konta -14- (GBR)
[10] Petra Martic -15- (CRO)
[11] Garbine Muguruza -16- (ESP) — 2018 Finalist
[12] Marketa Vondrousova -17- (CZE)
[13] Alison Riske -18- (USA)
[14] Elena Rybakina -19- (KAZ)
Angelique Kerber -20- (GER)
[15] Maria Sakkari -21- (GRE)
[16] Elise Mertens -22- (BEL) — 2019 Champion
[17] Donna Vekic -23- (CRO)
Anett Kontaveit -24- (EST)
Ekaterina Alexandrova -25- (RUS)
Dayana Yastremska -26- (UKR)
Karolina Muchova -27- (CZE)
Qiang Wang -28- (CHN)
Amanda Anisimova -29- (USA)
Shuai Zhang -30- (CHN)
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova -31- (RUS)
Yulia Putintseva -32- (KAZ)
Magda Linette -33- (POL)
Barbora Strycova -35- (CZE)
Julia Görges -36- (GER)
Saisai Zheng -37- (CHN)
Kristina Mladenovic -38- (FRA)
Veronika Kudermetova -39- (RUS)
Su-wei Hsieh -40- (TPE)
Anastasija Sevastova -41- (LAT)
Jelena Ostapenko -42- (LAT)
Polona Hercog -43- (SLO)
Svetlana Kuznetsova -46- (RUS)
Yaroslava Shvedova -PR- (KAZ)
Caroline Garcia -47- (FRA)
Alison Van Uytvanck -48- (BEL)
Iga Swiatek -49- (POL)
Jennifer Brady -52- (USA)
Ajla Tomljanovic -55- (AUS)
Carla Suarez Navarro -59- (ESP)
[Q] Katerina Siniakova -58- (CZE)
[Q] Bernarda Pera -64- (USA)
[Q] Jil Teichmann -68- (SUI)
[Q] Daria Kasatkina -71- (RUS)
[Q] Laura Siegemund -73- (GER)
[Q] Kirsten Flipkens -83- (BEL)
[Q] Priscilla Hon -132- (AUS)
[Q] Tereza Martincova -157- (CZE)
[WC] Ons Jabeur -45- (TUN)
[WC] Sorana Cirstea -70- (ROU)
[WC] Vera Zvonareva -84- (RUS)
[WC] Cagla Buyukakcay -172- (TUR)
[LL] Misaki Doi -88- (JPN)
QUALIFYING SINGLES | As of 20 February 2020
[01] Katerina Siniakova -58- (CZE)
[02] Anna Blinkova -61- (RUS)
[03] Bernarda Pera -64- (USA)
[04] Kristyna Pliskova -67- (CZE)
[05] Jil Teichmann -68- (SUI)
[06] Daria Kasatkina -71- (RUS)
[07] Laura Siegemund -73- (GER)
[08] Kirsten Flipkens -83- (BEL)
[09] Maria Patricia Tig -84- (ROU)
[10] Misaki Doi -88- (JPN)
[11] Viktorija Golubic -94- (SUI)
[12] Timea Babos -100- (HUN)
[13] Camila Giorgi -102- (ITA)
[14] Varvara Gracheva -103- (RUS)
[15] Shaui Peng -104- (CHN)
[16] Greet Minnen -106- (BEL)
Margarita Gasparyan -109- (RUS)
Aliaksandra Sasnovich -114- (BLR)
Liudmila Samsonova -116- (RUS)
Ysaline Bonaventure -117- (BEL)
Natalia Vikhlyantseva -123- (RUS)
Lesia Tsurenko -126- (UKR)
Priscilla Hon -132- (AUS)
Barbara Haas -135- (AUT)
Tereza Martincova -157- (CZE)
Jana Cepelova -163- (SVK)
Magdalena French -165- (POL)
Xinyun Han -190- (CHN)
Anna Danilina -291- (KAZ)
[WC] Daria Lopatetska -366- (UKR)
[WC] Ines Ibbou -617- (ALG)
[WC] Mabaraka Al-Naimi -NR- (QAT)
[Alt] Lucie Hradecka -413- (CZE)
DOUBLES TOP-8 SEEDS | As of 20 February 2020
[1] Hsieh Su-wei (TPE) / Barbora Strycova (CZE)
[2] Timea Babos (HUN) / Kristina Mladenovic (FRA)
[3] Elise Mertens (BEL) / Aryna Sabalenka ((BLR)
[4] Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) / Katerina Siniakova (CZE)
[5] Nicole Melichar (USA) / Xu Yifan (CHN)
[6] Gabriela Dabrowski (CAN) / Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) – 2017 Champions
[7] Latisha Chan (TPE) / Chan Hao-ching – 2019 | 2016 Champions
[8] Kveta Peschke (CZE) / Demi Schuurs (NED)
With luxurious amenities and the Qatar Tennis Federation's determined focus to make every athlete feel at home, Doha offers an easy-going environment for players and their teams. From the facilities to the transportation, from the professional staff to the fan-focused presentation, Qatar offers a top-shelf production players eagerly anticipate every February.
Very humbled to be back as the Voice of the Qatar Total Open, and excited to make lasting memories with this year's field of tremendous talent.