Buenos Aires, Delray Beach and Doha: February counts for more on tour than it once did

February used to be one of tennis’s sleepy seasons, an appearance-fee-filled breather between the Australian summer and the the spring hard-court events in the States. The mini-tours through South America and the Arab Peninsula were fun while they lasted, but largely forgotten by year’s end.

The WTA has begun to change that over the last half-decade. The tour elevated Doha and Dubai to 1000-level events, and Iga Swiatek began her rise to No. 1 there in 2022. Since then, she has made this swing a staple of her schedule, and the majority of the Top 20 has followed suit.

All of which means February counts a little more than it once did, especially on the women’s side. Here are three things to look for from the second week of the month.

Iga and Aryna try to meet again

Sabalenka and Swiatek, who have been No. 1 and 2 for nearly three years, have never played a final on anything other than clay. They’ll try fagain this week at the hard-court 1000 in Doha, where they’re the top two seeds.

Based on recent history, and their own current levels, they have a chance. Swiatek is the three-time defending champion, and both women played well enough to make the semifinals or better at the Australian Open. But a No. 1 vs. No. 2 final is hardly a lock in a field this strong. Fellow Top 10 players Coco Gauff, Jasmine Paolini, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Zheng Qinwen, Emma Navarro and Paula Badosa are all here.

Sabalenka may have to go through Pegula and Gauff to make the final; Swiatek may have to beat Rybakina and Zheng.

Potential quarterfinals to watch: Gauff vs. Navarro, Sabalenka vs. Pegula, Siwatek vs. Rybakina

Not in the draw: Madison Keys

After a disappointing week in Dallas, the U.S. men try again in Delray

With a field that was one-third American, Dallas Open officials must have felt confident that they would see at least one of their countrymen in the final this Sunday. But it wasn’t to be. Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe: all of them were the victim of upsets, in a tournament that ended up featuring Casper Ruud vs. Denis Shapovalov in the title match.

Fritz, at least, will try to put that behind him in Delray, where he's the top seed and the defending champion. (Paul was to be seeded No. 2 before withdrawing on Sunday.)

Another, younger American, Alex Michelsen, is seeded third, a fact that shows his quiet, hard-earned progress over the first two years on tour.

Wild card to watch: Australian Open breakout Learner Tien, who could meet fellow American Reilly Opelka in the second round

The Golden Swing kicks off with more star power—and the return of the Joao factor

The Argentina Open is a 250 that normally attracts a field heavy on dirt-ballers and South Americans. Don’t get me wrong, here are plenty of those in this 28-player draw. But there are also three surprisingly big names from across the pond: Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune and Lorenzo Musetti, who together are seeded No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3.

Read more: Should the Golden Swing switch from clay to hard courts? Tournament directors think so

But the biggest attraction may be a relative local: Brazil’s Joao Fonseca. The Next Gen champ, and teen sensation from Melbourne, will start by facing No. 8 seed Tomas Etcheverry of Argentina. Now the hard work begins.