ATP Dubai: Djokovic clear favorite, Tsitsipas with stumbling blocks
Industry leader Novak Djokovic is the clear favorite in the ATP Tour 500 tournament in Dubai. Also because the draw for the man from Belgrade looks a little friendlier than that of his biggest competitor Stefanos Tsitsipas in paper form.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Feb 23, 2020, 08:01 am
Malek Jaziri had already come to the tableau at the ATP Tour 500 tournament in Dubai with a very specific feeling: he was absolutely certain that he would of course meet the tournament favorites. Et voila: Hopefully Mr. Jaziri went straight to the nearest casino after the draw and made a lot of money with his prophetic skills. That he will probably be spared from a sporting point of view - because of course world number one Djokovic goes as a big favorite in the duel with the Tunisian.
Things are different with Stefanos Tsitsipas: The Greek goes into the traditional desert event as number two in the absence of defending champion Roger Federer, but after his final in Marseille today against Félix Auger-Aliassime, he has to make the switch to the conditions in Dubai as quickly as possible: Pablo Carreno Busta is waiting for Tsitsipas at the start.
Tsitsipas with difficult draw
And in the coming rounds it would not be easier for the last year's finalist from Athens: Hubert Hurkacz may be waiting in the second match, then Roberto Bautista-Agut in the quarterfinals. Who, however, got a tricky opening task with Jan-Lennard Struff.
In contrast to Malek Jaziri, Philipp Kohlschreiber does not need clairvoyant skills to anticipate a duel with Novak Djokovic. Rather, the German veteran, who was actually supposed to compete in the qualification and then slipped into the main field, suffices a success against Mohammed Safwat in round one to be able to compete with Djokovic again.
The latter is still undefeated this year - and comes to Dubai with the tailwind of six match wins at the ATP Cup and seven more at the Australian Open.