Qatar Open

Qatar Open Tennis: History of the Tournament

1993: The beginning of the men’s Qatar Open

The history of the Qatar Open Tennis tournament began in 1993, when Doha hosted the inaugural edition of the men’s Qatar ExxonMobil Open. The event was established as part of Qatar’s growing ambition to become a destination for international sport, bringing professional tennis to the Gulf region at a time when the global tennis calendar was becoming increasingly competitive.

German tennis star Boris Becker won the inaugural men’s singles title, giving the tournament an immediate connection to one of the sport’s most recognisable champions. Becker had already established himself as a major force in tennis, winning Wimbledon in 1985, 1986 and 1989, as well as the US Open in 1989. His victory in Doha helped give the new event a strong sporting foundation.

The men’s tournament subsequently became a regular fixture on the ATP Tour. Its early-season scheduling offered players an opportunity to compete for ranking points and build confidence before the major championships later in the year. For Doha, meanwhile, hosting an established international tennis event helped strengthen the city’s profile as a sporting destination.

1995: ExxonMobil becomes title sponsor

A significant development came in 1995, when ExxonMobil became the tournament’s title sponsor. The partnership with the Qatar Tennis Federation helped support the continued development of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open and its position on the international tennis circuit.

Long-term sponsorship has played an important role in the event’s history, helping maintain its identity and international appeal. Over the following decades, the tournament attracted increasingly prominent fields, with established champions and ambitious newcomers competing for the title. Doha was no longer simply hosting professional tennis; it was building a recognisable place for itself within the sport.

1999: Rainer Schüttler produces a remarkable result

The 1999 edition produced one of the most unusual achievements in the men’s tournament’s history. Germany’s Rainer Schüttler won the singles title while ranked world number 124, making him the lowest-ranked singles champion in the event’s recorded history.

His victory remains a useful reminder of why tennis tournaments can be so compelling. Rankings provide a guide to a player’s standing, but they cannot guarantee what happens on court. A competitor who arrives without the attention given to the top seeds can still find a winning run, upset established opponents and leave with the trophy. In tennis, reputations are useful, but they do not return serves.

2001: Women’s professional tennis arrives in Doha

The Qatar Open expanded its sporting significance in 2001 with the introduction of the women’s Qatar TotalEnergies Open, originally staged under the Qatar Total FinaElf Open name. The inaugural women’s singles title was won by Switzerland’s Martina Hingis, one of the leading players of her generation.

Hingis had already won multiple Grand Slam singles titles and was renowned for her tactical intelligence, anticipation and exceptional feel for the ball. Her victory gave the new women’s tournament an impressive first champion and established a foundation for future editions.

The women’s event initially entered the WTA Tour as a Tier III tournament. It subsequently progressed through the tour’s classifications, reaching Tier II status in 2004 and Tier I status in 2008. These developments reflected the tournament’s growing importance and its ability to attract leading players from across the women’s game.

2002–2008: Growing international recognition

During the 2000s, Doha continued to welcome leading names in women’s tennis. Monica Seles won the women’s singles title in 2002, while Anastasia Myskina claimed consecutive championships in 2003 and 2004. Maria Sharapova won in 2005 and again in 2008, adding the tournament to a career that included multiple Grand Slam singles titles.

Sharapova’s victories were particularly significant because she was one of the most prominent players in international tennis at the time. Her appearances helped increase the tournament’s visibility among fans following the women’s game.

The men’s competition also developed a strong championship record. Andy Murray won the singles title in 2008, aged 20, becoming the youngest champion in the event’s history. His victory came early in a career that would later include three Grand Slam singles titles, two Olympic singles gold medals and the world number one ranking.

These years helped establish Doha as a venue where fans could watch major champions as well as players on the verge of reaching the sport’s highest level. The tournament’s reputation increasingly rested on the quality of its competitors, rather than its geographical location alone.

2008–2010: The women’s tournament reaches a major milestone

The Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex became the home of the women’s Qatar Open in 2008. The venue would go on to serve as an important base for both professional tennis and other international racket sports in Qatar.

In 2009 and 2010, Doha hosted the WTA Tour Championships, the season-ending competition for leading women’s players. This was a major milestone for Qatar’s tennis ambitions, bringing an elite end-of-season event to the city and showcasing its ability to organise top-level international competition.

The 2009 WTA Tour Championships singles title was won by Serena Williams, while Kim Clijsters won the 2010 edition. Hosting the season-ending championships raised Doha’s profile in women’s tennis and reinforced the city’s reputation as a destination for prestigious sporting events.

2011–2016: A new era of women’s tennis

After the two-year period in which Doha hosted the WTA Tour Championships, the Qatar TotalEnergies Open returned to the regular WTA tournament calendar in 2011. The event resumed as a Premier-level competition, with the tournament’s classification changing again as the WTA reorganised its structure.

Victoria Azarenka won consecutive women’s singles titles in 2012 and 2013. The Belarusian had established herself among the world’s leading players, winning the Australian Open in both years and reaching the top of the WTA rankings. Her Doha victories demonstrated the tournament’s ability to attract champions competing at the peak of their careers.

In 2014, Romania’s Simona Halep won the women’s singles title, adding another prominent name to the tournament’s list of champions. The following years featured further victories by established players, including Lucie Šafářová in 2015 and Carla Suárez Navarro in 2016.

The men’s event also produced notable championship moments during this period. Rafael Nadal won the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in 2014, defeating Gaël Monfils in the final, while Novak Djokovic captured the title in 2016. These victories underlined the tournament’s appeal to the sport’s leading players.

2017–2021: Changing classifications and new champions

From 2017 onwards, Doha and Dubai began alternating between higher and lower classifications within the WTA Tour’s tournament structure. Doha hosted WTA 1000 editions during this period, including the 2018 event won by Petra Kvitová. The Czech champion returned to win again in 2021, following the tournament’s interruption in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s wider disruption of the sporting calendar.

In 2019, Belgium’s Elise Mertens won the women’s singles title, while Aryna Sabalenka triumphed in 2020. Sabalenka’s victory added another future Grand Slam champion to the list of Doha winners, demonstrating how the tournament continued to feature players capable of achieving major success later in their careers.

Meanwhile, the men’s tournament continued to attract elite competitors. Andy Murray won the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in 2017, defeating Novak Djokovic in a three-set final. Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut claimed the title in 2019 and again in 2022, becoming one of the tournament’s notable multiple champions.

2022–2024: Iga Świątek makes history

One of the most remarkable chapters in the women’s Qatar Open history began in 2022, when Poland’s Iga Świątek won the singles title. She successfully defended her championship in 2023 and claimed a third consecutive title in 2024, establishing a dominant run in Doha.

Świątek’s achievement made her the tournament’s first three-time singles champion. Her victories demonstrated a combination of aggressive baseline play, movement and tactical discipline that made her one of the leading players in women’s tennis. Winning the same event three years in a row is difficult enough; doing so against international competition that changes every season is an even more impressive feat.

In the men’s tournament, the Qatar ExxonMobil Open continued to feature former Grand Slam champions and leading ATP players. Roger Federer remains the men’s event’s record holder for singles titles, with three championships, while his 27 match victories represent another tournament record.

2025: A new chapter for the men’s tournament

The 2025 Qatar ExxonMobil Open marked a major change in the event’s status, becoming an ATP 500 tournament for the first time after previously operating as an ATP 250 event. The upgrade increased the tournament’s ranking-point allocation and strengthened its position within the men’s professional tennis calendar.

Russia’s Andrey Rublev won the 2025 singles title after defeating Britain’s Jack Draper 7–5, 5–7, 6–1 in the final. Draper pushed Rublev through two competitive sets before the Russian secured the deciding set and lifted the trophy. The result provided a memorable conclusion to the first Doha edition under ATP 500 status.

On the women’s side, American player Amanda Anisimova won the 2025 Qatar TotalEnergies Open, defeating Jelena Ostapenko in the final. Anisimova became the first unseeded singles champion since Elise Mertens in 2019, adding another unexpected result to the tournament’s history.

2026: Doha continues its international tennis tradition

The Qatar Open Tennis tournaments continued in February 2026. The men’s Qatar ExxonMobil Open took place from 16 to 21 February as an ATP 500 event, while the women’s Qatar TotalEnergies Open ran from 8 to 14 February as a WTA 1000 competition.

In the women’s singles competition, Czech player Karolína Muchová won the 2026 title, adding her name to the tournament’s growing list of champions. The result continued the event’s tradition of providing opportunities for different players to establish themselves on the international stage.

Today, the Qatar Open represents more than three decades of men’s professional tennis in Doha and more than two decades of women’s competition. From Boris Becker’s inaugural men’s title in 1993 to the modern era of ATP 500 and WTA 1000 tennis, the tournaments have developed into important fixtures on the global tennis calendar. Their history combines established champions, unexpected victories and the continuing growth of Qatar as an international sporting destination.

Conclusion: Why the Qatar Open Tennis Tournament Deserves Your Attention

The Qatar Open Tennis tournament has evolved from a developing international competition into a major fixture in professional tennis. Its history includes legendary champions, remarkable underdog victories, memorable rivalries and important milestones for both men’s and women’s tennis.

For spectators, the appeal is straightforward: world-class players, competitive matches, a modern sporting venue and the opportunity to experience international tennis in Doha. For those following the sport’s development, the tournament also provides a fascinating look at emerging talent and the changing landscape of the ATP and WTA Tours.

Whether you are searching for Qatar Open tennis history, information about past champions or reasons to watch the next edition, Doha offers plenty to explore. One thing is certain: the players will bring the skill, the crowd will bring the atmosphere, and somebody will probably spend the evening wondering how a ball managed to land exactly on the line.