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Week ahead: Holger Rune and Elena Rybakina target titles

The dust has now settled on the first Grand Slam of the season - the 2023 Australian Open - but there is plenty more action on both the ATP and WTA Tours this week.

The thrash and crash of the hard-court season continues with events in Montpellier, Abu Dhabi and Dallas, while the first clay-court tournament of the season gets underway in Cordoba in Argentina.

Rune's time to shine in Montpellier

WhatATP Montpellier
WhereMontpellier, France
WhenMonday 6th February 2023 - Sunday 12th February 2023
How to watchAmazon Prime Video, bet365 Sports Live Streaming

Last year's ATP Montpellier, otherwise known as the Open Sud de France, was won by Alexander Bublik and, although the Kazakhstani ace is involved in the event again this week, he faces fierce competition in the men's draw.

Top seed Holger Rune is the player to keep an eye on, having dazzled on the indoor hard courts at the end of 2022 and showing signs of promise at the Australian Open.

Rune won 20 of his 22 matches indoors in September, October and November last year, winning the Paris Masters in the process with victory over Novak Djokovic in the final of that event.

At the Australian Open, Rune breezed through the first three rounds in straight sets and looked like one to keep an eye on before sustaining a five-set defeat to Andrey Rublev in the fourth round.

But this time around Rune looks the one to back with his greatest competition - second seed Jannik Sinner - having struggled at this event in recent years, exiting the ATP Montpellier in the first round in 2020 and 2021.

Rybakina looks to build on Melbourne exploits

WhatWTA Abu Dhabi
WhereAbu Dhabi
WhenMonday 6th February 2023 - Sunday 12th February 2023
How to watchAmazon Prime Video, bet365 Sports Live Streaming
OddsElena Rybakina 7/2, Belinda Bencic 6/1, Veronika Kudermetova 17/2, Danielle Collins 10/1, Barbora Kerjcikova 10/1

After a two-year absence from the tour, this WTA 500 event in Abu Dhabi makes a return with a strong field.

It is only the second ever iteration of the event and there are three players in the top ten of the WTA rankings involved - Daria Kasatkina, Belinda Bencic and Elena Rybakina - along with other big hitters such as Barbora Krejcikova and Paula Badosa.

Rybakina will attract plenty of attention after having made the final of the Australian Open last month, falling at the final hurdle 6-4 3-6 4-6 against Aryna Sabalenka in Melbourne. She is 7/2 favourite to take the title.

But the better value for the event could be with Swiss star and 6/1 shot Bencic, who is seeded second and was progressing well at the Australian Open last month before meeting Sabalenka in the fourth round.

Bencic likes playing in this part of the world, having won the Dubai Tennis Championship back in 2019 and, although Rybakina would likely await her in the semi-finals, the head-to-head between the players is 1-1 so that would not necessarily be a foregone conclusion.

Strong American contingent involved in Dallas

WhatATP Dallas
WhereTexas, USA
WhenSaturday 4th February 2023 - Sunday 12th February 2023
How to watchbet365 Sports Live Streaming

The second ATP event to take place on hard courts this week is in Dallas, Texas and there are a handful of top home talents in particular to monitor.

Taylor Fritz is the only top-ten player involved in the event and takes the top seed, although he also led the field in 2022 and crashed out in the quarter-finals.

Other big names involved include Frances Tiafoe and lively Canadian Denis Shapovalov, who made the third round of the Australian Open this year.

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Australian Open: Aryna Sabalenka wins in Melbourne

Ramos Vinolas out to defend Cordoba title

WhatATP Cordoba
WhereCordoba, Argentina
WhenSaturday 4th February 2023 - Sunday 12th February 2023
How to watchbet365 Sports Live Streaming

Away from the hard courts, there is also the first clay-court event of the ATP season in Cordoba in Argentina.

Spaniard Albert Ramos Vinolas won last year's event and this year the top eight seeds all hail from either Spain or Argentina, with the experienced Diego Schwartzman leading the field.

He is in the top half of the draw with Sebastian Baez, while Ramos Vinolas is joined by Francisco Cerundolo in the bottom half.

Sakkari leads the way in Linz

WhatWTA Linz
WhereLinz, Austria
WhenMonday 6th February 2023 - Sunday 12th February 2023
How to watchbet365 Sports Live Streaming

To complete a jam-packed week, Linz in Austria is also playing host to a WTA 250 event starting on Monday.

Alison Riske-Amritraj is defending champion but is not involved this time around, with Greek star Maria Sakkari taking top seed and Ekaterina Alexandrova her closest competition in the other half of the draw.

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