WTA Qatar Open: Sloane Stephens vs. Sorana Cîrstea Preview; Head-to-Head, and Prediction

Feb 11, 2024 | 3:15 AM EST

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The tennis community is all excited about the Qatar Open, which is almost underway in Doha. The WTA 1000 event, which was founded in 2001, has been known for its intense matches on outdoor hard courts. Keeping up with its high standards, the latest edition of the Qatar Ladies Open will also feature high-octane performances by some of the players of high caliber.

In her opening-round match, the former Grand Slam champion Sloane Stephens will lock horns with her Romanian colleague Sorana Cîrstea. It will be interesting to see who prevails in this hard-court encounter, as both the WTA superstars will be vying for a deep run in the tournament.

Sloane Stephens vs. Sorana Cîrstea: Qatar Open first-round match preview

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Following her third-round defeat at the Australian Open, Sloane Stephens will now compete on the outdoor hard courts of the WTA 1000 event in Doha. As an unseeded participant, the former US Open champion breezed past Olivia Gadecki in her first-round game in Melbourne. Stephens later also defeated the 14th-seeded Daria Kasatkina before she tasted a knockout defeat at the hands of her third-round opponent, Anna Kalinskaya.

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Sorana Cîrstea, on the other hand, is coming to the tournament after her quarterfinal finish at the Abu Dhabi Open, where she outclassed some of the top guns. After dropping the first set, the Romanian tennis player pulled off a stellar comeback against her French opponent Caroline Garcia, winning the match with a score of 6-7, 6-4, 6-4. In the round of 16, Cîrstea thumped the third-seeded Greek, Maria Sakkari, before her quarterfinal defeat against Daria Kasatkina.

Stephens vs. Cîrstea: Head-to-Head

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The opening-round match between Stephens and Cîrstea at the Qatar Open will also mark their third meeting on the WTA circuit, with their head-to-head record currently tied at 1-1. In their previous meeting at the French Open, it was the American player who came out on top against his Romanian colleague. However, in their first encounter at the Dubai Duty-Free Championships, Cîrstea defeated Stephens with a score of 5-7, 6-3, 6-2.

Prediction: Stephens to come out on top in the first-round match of the Doha Open

Stephens is a former Grand Slam champion who has also reached the world No. 3 ranking during her competitive journey on the tour. The American tennis player’s vast experience and good record on the hard courts will make her the favorite to win the first-round match of the Doha Open.

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