The Dubai Tennis Open Round 2

The first round was bar one match already completed and that match is played today – whilke one Round 2 game between De Minaur an Chardy  is already under way. 

The following players are through to the second round of the tournament:-

Top of the Draw

 *     Thiem  vs  Harris

*     Davidovich Fokina  vs  Krajinovic

*      Giustino  vs  Bedene

*      Nishikori  vs  Goffin

 *     Shapovalov  vs Struff

*      Gasquet  vs  Hurkacz

*      Game already under way

*      Popyrin  vs  Khasanov

Bottom of the Draw

*      Sonego vs  Zapata Miralles  

*      Karatsev  vs  Evans

*      Sinner  vs  Bublik

*      Ebden  vs  Bautista-Agut

*      Carrero-Busta  vs  Fucsovics

*      Jaziri  vs  Lajovic

*      Fritz  vs  Basilashvilli

*      Ruusuvuori  vs Rublev

I have highlighted the players I think will go through to Round 3

Incidentally Chardy has beaten  De Minaur and has gone through to Round 3

Not sure about the order of play tomorrow - will provide that info when the order of play is announced.     Anyway there are 15 Round 2 games to be played  tomorr ow,     

The following has gone through  to Round 3 thus far:

Krajinovic  vs  Harris

Bedene  vs  Nishikori

Shapovalov vs  Hurkacz

Chardy vs Khachanov 

Sonego  vs  Karatsev

Sinner  vs   Bautista-Agut 

Fucsovics vs Lajovic

Rublev vs  Fritz

The possible winners  are highlighted - however, not with much confidence in some cases.      

I saw two players playing today - both 19 year-olds,  Vuusuvoru and Sinner - who were very good,   In the next decade those two will become top ten players.  

Harris beat Thiem with ease.    That is not surprising really - since he lost to Rublev  in the EOY championship in 2020  Thiem  had only one match he won and that was in the same championship beating Djokovic.   He never won anything thus far in  2021 and is totally out of form - going down from rank 3 in the world to rank 4,  

Must be a psychological factor that effects his performances.   He seems to have lost his confidence in himself and needs professional help. 

The Third Round  is virtually completed - with the following playing in the quarterfinals: tomorrow:-

Nishikori  vs   Harris

Chapovalov  vs  Chardy

Kataysev  vs  Sinner

Fucsovics vs  Rublev 

The potential winners are high-lighted 

Four of the eight games played today  went to three sets - the other three were narrow-winned two setterss   The only completely one-sided game was between Rublev and Fritz - the  guy who took Djokovic to a five-setter in the Aussie Open  The match was won by  Rublev 6-3, 6-1.   Rublev has now win 22 matches in a row in the PTA500 series.   Only Federer with 28 consequent wins has won more.    Awesome form.    

Harris is a South African who had to qualify to play in the seism   He beat Thiem easily in Round 2 and is now through to the quarterfinals.   He has a very good chance to go through to the semi's. against Nishikori,     

There is another PTA 500 series event taking place at present in Acapulco,   The series will play their quarterfinals today.   The two top-ranked players in that Championship  are Tsitsipas and Sverev - and they are through to the quarters.

The rest are just ignorable  - with the only other player worth mentioning being Dmitrov stil in the quarters.    The surprise player in the  quarters is Musetti - an Italian qualifier,  He did well thus far in the series, but was dispatched by Rublev with ease before.  Nopt in the same class as Sinner and Vuusurovu.

After both these two PTA 500 Championship  has been finalized the PTA 1000 of 2021 series starts in Miami  next week.     Djokovic  will play in that series - but the entry of Nadal is doubtful  since he is preparing for the subsequent  clay court season and Federer will definitely not play in that one.

So the seeded players are likely to be as follows:-

1     Djokovic

2     Medvedev

3     Tsitsipas

4      Sverev

5      Rublev

The above means that Djokovic will face stronger opposition in the top half of the draw - since  Tsitsipas  would move to 3 and Rublev at 5.   If that happens Djokovic in the play-off stages  will face  Tsitsipas and Rublev at that stage of the series.    

Latest news is that both Nadal and Thiem are out of the Miami  Tournament so I have adjusted the ratings as indicated,   

Latest classical comment of note  - Fucsovics to Rublev when they met after the match was completed:-

"I hope I don't play you anymore".   After breaking Rublev in the first game - the latter came bacck and won the 7th game.      It was even-stevens and very competitive until the 11th game when Fucsovics serve were broken again and Rublev won  the set 7-5.   The second set Fucsovics just fell apart and  that is why I think he said what he did.