Defending champion Elise Mertens of Belgium will open her Qatar Total Open title defence against China’s Wang Qiang in the first round match at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex today evening.
Last year, the World No.22 Merterns defeated World No.2 Simona Halep of Romania to capture her biggest career singles title in Qatar,
The clash between Mertens and Qiang is a repeat of last week’s first round clash of the Dubai Open where the World No. 28 Qiang lost 6-3, 6-0 to Mertens.
Six of the WTA’s top 10 will take to the courts in Doha for the first Premier 5 event on the 2020 calendar.
With Simona Halep pulling out yesterday, each of the top nine seeds have received a first round bye, World No.1 Ashleigh Barty, Karolina Pliskova, Belinda Bencic, Elina Svitolina, Sofia Kenin, Kiki Bertens, Petra Kvitova and Aryna Sabalenka are some of the big names who will be aiming to lay their hands on the trophy in Doha.
