Emma Raducanu’s wild card entry into the Qatar Open definitely got people talking. A lot of fans thought she might have been better off playing a smaller tournament. But regardless, she’s about to kick off her Doha campaign against Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova. And Alexandrova is on fire right now – she’s on a four-match winning streak! She’s had some decent results at the WTA 1000 level before, but Doha hasn’t always been the luckiest place for her. So, can she turn things around and get a win this year?

Emma Raducanu vs Ekaterina Alexandrova: Preview

This is Emma Raducanu‘s second appearance in this tournament. She was defeated by Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina in the R64 of the 2024 Qatar Open. However, after that, Raducanu reached the QF in Stuttgart and then made it to the semis in Nottingham. However, in Nottingham, she was defeated by her compatriot Katie Boulter in three sets. It was followed by three QF appearances at the Eastbourne International, Citi Open, and the Korea Open.

Emma Raducanu’s 2025 season hasn’t exactly gotten off to a flying start, and she’s coming into this match after losing in the round of 32 to Marketa Vondrousova at the Abu Dhabi Open.

On the other hand, Ekaterina Alexandrova’s notable performance in the 2024 season was reaching the SF in Adelaide, Miami, s-Hertogenbosch, and Monterrey. Although she reached the final at the Linz Open last year, Ekaterina Alexandrova went down to Jelena Ostapenko at that time.

Alexandrova has already clinched a title in the 2025 season. Although she didn’t look too impressive in the Australian swing, Alexandrova made a strong comeback at the Linz Open. She defeated Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska by 6-2,3-6,7-5 in the final of the 2025 Linz Open. In the previous edition of the Qatar Open, she reached the R16. Can she make it to the second round this time as well?

Raducanu vs Alexandrova: Head-to-Head

Emma Raducanu has faced Ekaterina Alexandrova only once in her career so far. Interestingly, their previous meeting took place this year itself and Raducanu had the last laugh in their first encounter. So, currently, the Brit has a 1-0 lead over the Russian in the H2H record.

• 2025 Australian Open R128: Raducanu 7-6(4),7-6(2).

Prediction: Alexandrova to win in three sets

Even though Raducanu has the edge head-to-head, I’m leaning slightly towards Alexandrova in this Doha showdown. Why? Her incredible form! She’s coming fresh off a title win at the Linz Open, so her confidence is sky-high.That’s a big contrast to Raducanu, who’s been struggling to find her rhythm this season. However, talking about their records in the last few months, Emma Raducanu (56) had a win-loss record of 23-13, while it was just 26-24 for Ekaterina Alexandrova (25). So, margins are quite small between the two. It’s the form that is giving the Russian a slight edge in this match.

Talking about their playing styles, Ekaterina Alexandrova has an aggressive style of play, characterized by powerful serves and equally lethal groundstrokes. Alexandrova has a unique ability to generate powerful groundstrokes off both wings. Emma Raducanu needs to be a bit careful of Ekaterina Alexandrova’s venomous shots from the baseline.

Talking about the Brit, Emma Raducanu is primarily a baseline player with an aggressive style of play. Her best groundstroke is her two-handed backhand. She can hit her one-handed backhand with a slice, to break up the pace of the rallies and disrupt her opponent’s rhythm. Apart from that, Emma Raducanu has a strong forehand, and she is also known for her return of serve. Her movement, court coverage, footwork, speed, and anticipation allow her to rally and defend effectively against her opponents. She also has an effective drop shot in her armory.

A fit Raducanu is a real threat for any opponent, but this time I feel the in-form Ekaterina Alexandrova will get the better of the Brit.