Week in Preview: Roger Federer returns in Doha—and a whole lot more

In the span of a month, we’ve gone from having almost nothing to watch, to having too much for any one person to follow. Which means it’s starting to feel like a tennis season again.

This week there are five tournaments across three continents. On the women’s side, the highlight is the WTA 1000 in Dubai. On the men’s, the highlight will be a player rather than a tournament: Roger Federer will return to the ATP for the first time in 14 months, in Doha.

All smiles from Federer and Swiatek. (Instagram @rogerfederer; Getty Images)

*Doha, Qatar

$890,920; ATP 250

Hard court

Draw is here*

Traditionally, Federer has done his best work around this time of year in Dubai, but he has played and won in Doha as well. Three times, to be exact. To earn his first title there, in 2005, he beat his current coach, Ivan Ljubicic, in the final.

This year Federer will probably be OK if he doesn’t leave Qatar with the champion’s trophy, or any hardware at all, for that matter. He says that, for now, all he wants to do is play competitive tennis again. But don’t be surprised if he plays it well. While Federer lacks match play, he has had time to hone his game on the practice court. Anything, from an opening-round loss to a fourth title, seems possible for him this week. If all of the seeds hold, Federer’s path looks like this: Dan Evans or Jeremy Chardy; Borna Coric; Denis Shapovalov; Dominic Thiem.

Also here: Andrey Rublev, Stan Wawrinka, Roberto Bautista Agut and Aslan Karatsev—all of whom are in Thiem’s half.

*Dubai, UAE

$1,835,490; WTA 1000

Hard court

Draw is here*

The money isn’t quite what it used to be in Dubai: Last year’s $2.7 million purse has been reduced to $1.8 million. And the field isn’t quite as stacked, either. This is now a WTA 1000, but only four of the tour’s Top 10 are in the draw. Among the missing: Naomi Osaka, Ash Barty and Serena Williams.

Still, with 56 players, there will be a lot to see in the coming week. Iga Swiatek will make her post-Australia return. Petra Kvitova and Garbiñe Muguruza will try to maintain the momentum that took them to the final in Doha. Top seed Elina Svitolina will try to show more than she did in her loss to an injured Victoria Azarenka last week, while No. 2 seed Karolina Pliskova will try to show more than she did in a quick defeat to Jessica Pegula. The problem is, she may have to face the fast-rising Pegula again in her second match.

First-round matches to watch: Coco Gauff vs. Ekaterina Alexandrova; Angelique Kerber vs. Caroline Garcia; Elise Mertens vs. Fiona Ferro

Medvedev will look to move on from a dismal showing in Rotterdam. (Getty Images)

*Marseille, France

$550,000; ATP 250

Indoor hard court

Draw is here*

In my Rotterdam preview last week I wondered whether Daniil Medvedev could put his disappointing performance in the Australian Open final behind him right away. The answer came quickly when he lost his temper and his first-round match to Dusan Lajovic. But there’s always a new week and another chance in tennis, and Medvedev will get one in Marseille. The top seed starts against either Yannick Hanfmann or Egor Gerasimov.

Also here: Two-time defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas; Karen Khachanov, who nearly knocked Tsitsipas out last week; Jannik Sinner, who could face Medvedev in the third round; and Kei Nishikori, who made the quarters in Rotterdam.

Wild card to watch: Petros Tsitsipas, the younger brother of you-know-who

Veteran’s special: Feliciano Lopez vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

*Santiago, Chile

$393,935; ATP 250

Red clay

Draw is here*

Cristian Garin and Benoit Paire are the top two seeds in Santiago, but all eyes will be on the game’s most suddenly successful brother act, the Cerundolos. Two weeks ago, Juan Manuel, 19, came out of qualifying to win the title in Cordoba. This week, Francisco, 22, has matched that achievement by emerging from qualifying to make the final in Buenos Aires. There’s obviously no time like the present for these two Argentines, and they’ll be back at it in Chile.

*Guadalajara, Mexico

$235,000; WTA 250

Hard court

Draw is here*

The fifth, final and smallest event of the week will go off in Guadalajara. Nadia Podoroska and Marie Bouzkova are the top two seeds.

First-round match to watch: Coco Vandeweghe vs. Mihaela Buzarnescu

All-American, and all-Katie, first round: Catherine McNally vs. Katie Volynetts