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Dubai Tennis Championships: is Roger Federer the favorite?

By Harry Floyd

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 20: Roger Federer of Switzerland plays a forehand in his fourth round match against Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece during day seven of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 20, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Jack Thomas/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 20: Roger Federer of Switzerland plays a forehand in his fourth round match against Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece during day seven of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 20, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Jack Thomas/Getty Images) /
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The 2019 Dubai Tennis Championships is kicking off in men’s singles this week and the tournament’s greatest champion could be the favorite.

Action at the Dubai Tennis Championships will feature the greatest champion in men’s singles that the tournament has ever known. Swiss legend Roger Federer enters the field as the second seed this year, but that does not mean he’s not a favorite to win. Federer is an incredible seven-time champion in men’s singles at the event.

This year, Japanese great Kei Nishikori is the top seed in Dubai. He is currently the world number six on the ATP Tour, one place ahead of Federer.

Can Nishikori challenge Federer at the Dubai Tennis Championships? He does have one singles title already on the year, having won in Brisbane. He has continued to make deep tournament runs ever since and will likely carry that momentum into this week.

Federer, on the other hand, has only played the Australian Open so far in 2019. The tennis icon is playing more limited tennis as of late and this year is no different. At Melbourne Park, he reached the round of 16 where he fell to rising ATP star Stefanos Tsitsipas.

A strong run in Dubai would do wonders for Federer right now. His strategic scheduling needs to pay off if he hopes to return to the top of the sport. If he’s going to be a pick to win anywhere though, it is at the Dubai Tennis Championships. His history there is unparalleled. Even with Nishikori’s fantastic play so far in 2019, the edge has to go to Federer.

The Swiss legend takes on German tennis veteran Philipp Kohlschreiber first in Dubai. As for the top seeded Nishikori, he faces off against France’s Benoît Paire first.

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Our pick to take the title at the 2019 Dubai Tennis Championships is Roger Federer. His seven singles titles there make him the player to beat. Nishikori will pose a threat though. Stay tuned to see if either of the tournament’s top two seeds can reach the finals or if there will be a spoiler along the way.

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