Dubai Tennis Championships 2022: Novak Djokovic vs Jiri Vesely preview, head-to-head and prediction

Match Details

Fixture: (1) Novak Djokovic vs (Q) Jiri Vesely

Date: 24 February 2022

Round: Quarterfinals

Venue: Dubai, UAE

Category: ATP 500

Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt

Prize money: $2,794,840

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video

Novak Djokovic vs Jiri Vesely preview

Novak Djokovic has won both of his matches this year in straight sets

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic will take on Jiri Vesely in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships on Thursday.

Following an impressive 2021 season in which he won three Grand Slam titles, the Serb has had a rocky start to 2022.

He could not participate in the Australian Open due to his visa being canceled and played his first match of the year at the Dubai Tennis Championships, where he defeated Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 6-3 first up.

The Serb then defeated Karen Khachanov in straight sets to advance to the quarterfinals.

Vesely, meanwhile, started the year with an opening-round exit at the Adelaide International. The Czech qualified for the main draw at the Sydney International but lost to Brandon Nakashima in the first round. He suffered another first-round exit at the Australian Open, losing to Stefan Kozlov.

Vesely then reached the quarterfinals of the Maharashtra Open before losing to eventual runner-up Emil Ruusuvuori.

The Czech qualified for the main draw at the Dubai Tennis Championships after wins over Hady Habib and Alexei Popyrin. Vesely beat Marin Cilic in the first round to set up a second-round clash with Roberto Bautista Agut. He defeated the in-form Spaniard 6-2, 6-4 to seal his place in the last eight.

Novak Djokovic vs Jiri Vesely head to head

Thursday's match in Dubai will be the second meeting between the two players (not counting a second-round walkover at the US Open in 2016). Vesely won their previous meeting at the 2016 Monte Carlo Masters in three sets and thus leads the head-to-head 1-0.

Novak Djokovic vs Jiri Vesely prediction

Djokovic will enter the match as the overwhelming favorite. However, the Czech will be in high spirits, having beaten two higher-ranked opponents in the first two rounds.

Djokovic has not looked at his best so far in Dubai, but he has the ability to switch gears at will. The Serb will look to put pressure on Vesely from the get-go with deep returns groundstrokes. The Czech's go-to weapon is his serve and he will rely heavily on that shot to earn a few cheap points.

But Djokovic is inarguably the best returner on tour and shouldn't have too much trouble getting Vesely's serve back in play and neutralizing the point.

Ultimately, the Serb should have far too much firepower and quality for the Czech to handle.

Prediction: Djokovic to win in straight sets.