This year’s Dubai draw is an absolute cracker with seven of the world’s top ten competing in an all round high quality field.  There are some excellent qualifiers to still be added to the list.  Therefore, it makes predicting how this tournament will unfold a very tough task.  Enjoy the preview, but don’t hold out any faith with the predictions! Let’s take a look at the draw.

Serena Williams

Serena Williams accepted a late wildcard and will top the draw in Dubai.  This was a decision that made sense after she announced she won’t be playing in Indian Wells, therefore her next tournament wil not be for over a month in Miami.  After a bye in the first round, Serena will play a Russian player in round two, either Ekaterina Makarova or Alisa Kleybanova.  Makarova has had a great start to the season with a last 16 showing at the Australian Open and a gutsy series of displays in Pattaya City, which saw her claim her second WTA title.  Makarova will be the favourite over Kleybanova to set up a second round showdown with the world number one, who she has beaten before.  The first rounder between Sloane Stephens and Lucie Safarova should be as equally intriguing as Makarova against Kleybanova.  Sloane was both flat and petulant in her first round exit in Doha and gets a chance to redeem herself against Safarova, who is playing well so far this year.  The winner of that match is likely to play Jelena Jankovic in the quarter-finals.

The second quarter features Petra Kvitova and Simona Halep.  Kvitova won two tough matches in Doha against Venus Williams and Safarova before falling rather miserably to Jankovic in the quarter-finals.  Her first match in Doha will be against Carla Suarez Navarro or the wildcard, Nadia Petrova.  Halep was at her very best in Doha where she was crowned champion after beating three top ten players.  Conditions differ in Dubai where courts are generally much faster, but she has proven before that she can make the switch between surfaces impeccably after winning titles on clay and grass in two consecutive weeks.  Her first match will be against Alize Cornet.  In my opinion, tiredness after Fed Cup and Doha will eventually catch up with her.

The third quarter is headlined by an engaging first round match between Caroline Wozniacki and Sabine Lisicki.  Wozniacki endured a thoroughly miserable loss in Doha, losing for the first time in seven matches against Yanina Wickmayer, meanwhile Lisicki has been once again riddled by injuries.  Lisicki has the game to beat Wozniacki, but having so few matches under her belt, it will require a pretty super performance to beat Wozniacki even in her current form.  The winner of that match is likely to meet Sam Stosur in the second round.  Sara Errani is the highest seed in this quarter and will play the winner of the first round match between Sorana Cirstea and Roberta Vinci, who are playing for the first ever time.  Vinci iis still searching for her first WTA singles win in 2014.  Cirstea is as inconsistent as they come, but will still be the favourite to beat Vinci.

The fourth and final quarter features the best of the first round matches between Doha finalist, Angelique Kerber and Ana Ivanovic.  Their last match came in the final of Linz, an incredibly intense and high quality match that Kerber win in two tight sets.  They were due to meet in the third round of Doha, but this time round they will definitely play each other and that is a good thing because all their previous match-ups have been entertaining.  The winner of the Kerber – Ivanovic match will then play either Venus Williams or Elena Vesnina in the second round.  Doha semi-finalist, Agnieszka Radwanska is projected to meet Kerber in the quarter-finals, but with the calibre of players within the draw, expect the unexpected.

There are a few question marks surrounding Serena Williams after her 4th round exit at the Australian Open and problems with her back that forced her out of Doha.  However her intent to take a wildcard into this tournament is a positive sign and a decision I do not think she would have made unless she was fully raring to go.  I don’t enjoy trying to predict these kind of tournaments, but have gone rather safe and believe that Serena will defeat Radwanska in the final.

1st Round Predictions: Makarova to beat Kleybanova in 2 tight sets, Safarova to beat Stephens in 3 sets, Suarez Navarro to beat Petrova in 2 tight sets, Halep to beat Cornet in 2 sets, Wozniacki to beat Lisicki in 3 sets, Cirstea to beat Vinci in 3 sets, Ivanovic in 2 sets (1 tight, 1 easy) and V.Williams to beat Vesnina in 2 sets

Moo’s Final Prediction: S.Williams d. Radwanska