(MENAFN- The Peninsula) By Armstrong Vas / The Peninsula
Doha: ‘Doha is set for some great tennis this week' that was the unanimous opinion of some of the top players who have checked into the Qatari capital for the $2,897,250 Qatar Total Open which kicks off tomorrow.
The draw held yesterday will not have much bearing on the end results but how you play on your day will matter, said some of the top players.
The form of the day will play a huge part as to who picks up the $597,000 prize money on the final day of the WTA tournament on February 17, they said.
With a spectacular line-up which includes eight of the world's top 10 female players, the excitement is building for the tournament which gets underway from Monday at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex.
The stellar line-up which is one of the best fields to be seen outside of a Grand Slam, includes reigning Australian Open champion, Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark (World No.1), Simona Halep of Romania (No. 2), Elina Svitolina of Ukraine (3), Garbine Muguruza of Spain (4), defending champion Karolina Pliskova from Czech Republic (5), Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia (6), Angelique Kerber from Germany (9) and Julia Georges of Germany (10).
'It is one of the best tournaments of the year, so you cannot get an easier opponent here. It is the third time I am coming to Qatar. It's a good or bad draw I do not know, said 20-year-old Daria Kasatkina of Russia.
The World No. 24 said she is slowing getting back into the groove in the new season.
'The beginning of the season was not good, but I am much better now, I have got my confidence, she said, who also opens her campaign with a match against a qualifier.
Kasatkina feels that is a strong field she will face in Doha and the draw will not matter much.
'It's a strong tournament, all the best players are here, it does not matter who you play in the first round, she added.
On Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark reaching the ranking summit, she justified her ascendency.
'She deserves it, she won the Grand Slam, had a good comeback, she is playing good tennis everything is fair, said Kasatkina who is looking enjoy the nice Qatar winter weather far away from her Petersburg home where the temperatures have dropped to minus.
Compatriot Elena Vesnina also hopes to cash in on the ideal weather conditions to drive home the advantage.
'Weather should be nice, it's a strong line up, you can see every top name, every first round and second round matches would be like quarter-finals and semi-finals of some Grand Slam tournaments, said Vesnina.
The World No. 23 from Russia will face a qualifier in the first round, but she is not ready to thing easily in Doha.
'There is not much difference between players when it comes to rankings and its the beginning of the year, so everybody is quite fresh and hungry for the wins, so Doha is set for some great tennis this week, said Vesnina.
The 31 -year-old has been trying to strike a balance by playing both the singles and doubles and says it's a tough thing to do.
'I am going to play doubles and singles as well here in Doha. It's not easy, we are playing just the big tournaments, I am not playing every week as it is difficult- tough for the body and the mind else well. So, I am smart with my scheduling and hopefully we can do well in the singles and doubles in Doha, she added, who has Olympic gold in doubles category.
'It will be brilliant tournament, first because of the weather and you see the number of top players who are here and as a French company who are proud to see three French players in the main draw. And we wish them all the best. There will be good sporting spirit, good competition. We are eagerly waiting to be on the court, Total Qatar Deputy VP for HR, Communication and CSR, Christophe Eon said.
He also informed that Qatar Tennis Federation and Qatar Total have renewed the contract for two more years.
'We have been associated with tennis for the last ten years, we have renewed the contract for three years, so we will be there till 2020 and we are supporting tennis, supporting sport and good that the National Sport day celebrations are taking place during the championship, he added.
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