First-round action will get underway in Doha on Monday, when Americans Reilly Opelka and Taylor Fritz are taking the court. Opelka is going up against Roberto Bautista Agut, while Fritz kicks off his campaign against Lorenzo Sonego.
Reilly Opelka vs. (5) Roberto Bautista Agut
Bautista Agut and Opelka will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers when they clash in round one of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open on Monday. They split a pair of 2019 encounters; Bautista Agut prevailed 6-4, 7-5 at the Shanghai Masters before Opelka got revenge via a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 decision shortly thereafter in Basel.
Opelka broke serve three times during that Basel encounter, which is certainly a good sign. If the 6’11” American can turn in a strong serving performance, he should be able to force a tiebreaker or two and perhaps finish one set prior to a ‘breaker. Bautista Agut played well in Montpellier two weeks ago, but he lost to David Goffin in the final and then dropped his Rotterdam opener to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in straight sets. This is a good opportunity for Opelka to pull off a minor upset on a hard court that generally plays at least somewhat fast.
Pick: Opelka in 3
Lorenzo Sonego vs. Taylor Fritz
Fritz and Sonego played one of the most memorable–and certainly one of the longest–tiebreakers of the 2020 season. At the French Open, Sonego survived their third-set ‘breaker 19-17 to finish the job in straight sets. It has been an entertaining head-to-head series the whole way through three matches, with Fritz prevailing in three sets during 2018 Queen’s Club qualifying and in four sets immediately thereafter at Wimbledon.
Sonego made a run to the Vienna final last fall and he remains in solid form. The 35th-ranked Italian advanced one round at the Australian Open and he is 2-2 since that event, with a quarterfinal showing in Montpellier. Fritz has not played since infamously losing a five-setter against a hobbled Novak Djokovic in the third round of the Aussie Open. Given that Sonego has stayed sharp and Fritz could be rusty, the 33rd-ranked American may be in trouble.
Pick: Sonego in 3
nice 0-for-2 effort