Tennis | The Weekly Watch | Federer returns in Doha, Evans, Norrie and Dart in action this week

• ATP: Doha (250), Marseille (250), Santiago (250)
• WTA: Dubai (1000), Guadalajara (250)

The long-anticipated return of Roger Federer to the ATP Tour headlines Doha, while the elite women head to Dubai.

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ATP 250 Doha

Top Seeds: Dominic Thiem, Roger Federer, Andrey Rublev

Defending Champion: Andrey Rublev

Roger Federer’s anticipated return to the tour since the advent of the global pandemic is the talk of the tour at the moment. After all the lumps and bumps of the Australian Open, the tour finally feels like it is back on its way. By now a lot of players have started to come back onto the tour in dribs and drabs with a class finish for defending champion Andrey Rublev in Rotterdam with another title to add to the collection.

Also back in action for the first time since the Australian Open will be Dominic Thiem, and No. 4 seed Denis Shapovalov, who lands up in the same half of the draw as Federer.

Dan Evans is the sole British representative tis week and could meet Federer, who benefits from a bye, in the second round.

How to Watch/Follow ATP Doha

ATP Doha Order of Play and Draws

ATP 250 Marseille

Top Seeds: Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Karen Khachanov, Ugo Humbert

Defending champion: Stefanos Tsitsipas

Stefanos Tsitsipas arrives in search of doing the ‘three-peat’ as the two-time champion is in some decent form, having reached back to bac semi-finals in his last two tournaments. He sensationally beat Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open semi-final but came up short and flat against Daniil Medvedev, who is the top seed this week.

Many of the key names were already in action in ATP Rotterdam and have already started to get matches under their feet.

How to Watch/Follow ATP Marseille

ATP Marseille Order of Play and Draws

ATP 250 Santiago

Top Seeds: Cristian Garin, Benoit Paire, Pablo Andujar, Laslo Djere

2020 Champion: Thiago Seyboth Wild

The Latin-American ‘Golden Swing’ continues on the clay in Santiago, Chile. In 2020 the ATP Tour re-established its links with Chile for the first time since 2014, after the Vina Del Mar tournament came to an end.

Names to note in this field are the Cerundolo brothers who have set the Golden Swing alive with Juan Manuel Cerundolo making waves by coming through qualifying  in Cordoba to win the title. Although ‘Juanma’ went out in the first round of Buenos Aires, his older brother Francisco, was not to be out-done also coming through qualifying to reach the final, where he fell to Diego Schwartzman.

How to Watch/Follow ATP Santiago

ATP Santiago Order of Play and Draws

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WTA 1000 Dubai

Top Seeds: Elina Svitolina, Karolina Pliskova, Aryna Sabalenka, Petra Kvitova

2020 champion: Simona Halep

With neither the defending champion Simona Halep or the World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty in the draw, we see a lot of the names from Doha and a few more besides lining up in Dubai. Elina Svitolina is the top seed and might be relieved that Victoria Azarenka withdrew with the back injury that sent Svitolina for a loop as she failed to find a way past an immobilised player.

How to Watch/Follow WTA Dubai

WTA Dubai Order of Play and Draws

WTA 250 Guadalajara

Top Seeds: Nadia Podoroska, Marie Bouzkova, Anna Blinkova, Sara Sorribes Tormo

2019 Champion: Veronika Kudermetova

Obviously stood down as a tournament during the pandemic, Guadalajara returns with maybe less familiar names, but we do at least have some British interest this week here. Harriet Dart has an opportunity for a bit of revenge, having lost out to Astra Sharma in the final qualifying round, she faces her again, this time as a Lucky Loser.

How to Watch/Follow WTA Guadalajara

WTA Guadalajara Order of Play and Draws