This week is the Qatar Total Open in Doha, Qatar. This event is part of the Premier 5 on the WTA tour and the winner will get 900 ranking points.

Sloane Stephens is the only American in the field who is seeded (#14). The other Americans are Venus Williams (same half as Stephens), Varvara Lepchenko (other half of the draw) and Bethanie Mattek-Sands (same quarter as Lepchenko).

The Draws

This is the route for each American to the final if the higher seeds hold out. Green means the American on the left would be the higher ranked player, red means they would be lower ranked. Bold on an athlete indicates that match has been completed. Click to expand.

The Matchups

Sloane Stephens begins with Petra Cetkovska in the first round. She is 2-0 against Cetkovska with their last meeting in the round of 32 at Wimbledon in June where she beat the Czech 7-6 (7), 0-6, 6-4. If she does advance to play Shuai Zhang in round two it would be their third meeting. She is also 2-0 against Zhang having beaten her 6-4, 6-0 in the round of 16 in Brussels last May. If she does advance to face Li Na in the third round it would be their first meeting.

Venus Williams begins with Petra Martic in round one, their first ever meeting. If Williams does advance to face Petra Kvitova (back to back Petra?!??!) it would be their third meeting. Williams is 1-2 against Kvitova with their most recent meeting a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7) loss in the semifinals of Tokyo in September.

Varvara Lepchenko starts things with Kaia Kanepi in round one. The two have met twice with Kanepi winning both. In Brussels last May Kanepi won their very tight quarterfinal matchup 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7).

Finally there is Bethanie Mattek-Sands who will take on Canadian teenage star Eugenie Bouchard in round one. The two have met only once, in the round of 32 in Sydney earlier this year, with Mattek-Sands a 6-4, 6-3 victor.

Points Defending

Here is a table showing how many WTA ranking points each player is defending and what round they’ll need to reach to get at least that many again this year.

TV Coverage

Tennis Channel will have some coverage of the tournament both some tape delayed and likely LIVE during their Center Court Live on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Monday Schedule

• Approx 9:30 AM ET – Venus Williams vs. Petra Martic on Centre Court
• Approx 1 PM ET – #14 Sloane Stephens vs. Petra Cetkovska on Centre Court

Should be a fun tournament for the Americans with Stephens needing just two wins over lower ranked players to likely face world #3 Li Na and Mattek-Sands playing one of the top young players in the world in Bouchard in a cross-border rivalry in round one.