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Qatar Total Open: is former champion Simona Halep the favorite?

By Harry Floyd

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 21: Simona Halep of Romania looks on in her fourth round match against Serena Williams of the United States during day eight of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 21, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 21: Simona Halep of Romania looks on in her fourth round match against Serena Williams of the United States during day eight of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 21, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /
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The 2019 Qatar Total Open is going down and the top seed is a former champion in Simona Halep. Can she win another title this year?

Simona Halep is the 2014 champion in women’s singles at the Qatar Total Open. That year, she knocked out German tennis great Angelique Kerber in the finals in dominant fashion. Halep defeated Kerber in straight sets, winning 6–2, 6–3.

This year, Halep is the top seed and wins her opener against Lesia Tsurenko. She defeats Tsurenko with ease, going 6-2, 6-3 over the Ukrainian tennis player. Up next is a big challenge for Halep in the form of ninth seeded Julia Goerges.

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While she is a former champion and looks good so far, a title is no guarantee for the Romanian great. Kerber, the 2014 runner-up is off to a fine start. The German wins her meeting with Anett Kontaveit and secures her place in the quarterfinals.

Also winning and reaching the quarters is current WTA Finals champion Elina Svitolina. She defeats Latvian tennis star Jeļena Ostapenko in straight sets, winning 6-4, 6-4 in order to advance. Svitolina is the fourth seed this year at the Qatar Total Open.

Other players to watch include Kiki Bertens and Elise Mertens who face off in a tough quarterfinals match. The big news earlier this week was the withdrawal of Danish tennis icon Caroline Wozniacki. The former world number one had to back out of the action due to a viral illness. Her absence paves the way for Halep, but it is definitely not going to be an easy path.

Halep kicks off her run in Doha as she intended, with a decisive win. BUT, can the Romanian tennis star bring the same energy moving forward?

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Stay tuned to see how Halep and others such as Kerber or Svitolina fare at the 2019 Qatar Total Open. Action in women’s singles reaches the quarterfinals and features several of the WTA Tour‘s top players. Can Halep take home yet another title at the event? She should be considered the favorite as of right now, but keep a close eye on the other quarterfinals matches.

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