The Doha event is the first FIE Grand Prix of 2022, and will feature épée competition.

Yamada has been labelled as the number one seed for the men's épée competition as he currently sits on 186 ranking points.

The 27-year-old was part of the Japanese quartet that won gold in the men's team épée at Tokyo 2020.

Individual épée silver medallist Gergely Siklósi of Hungary is Yamada's closest competitor.

The second seed is narrowly behind him in the ranking with 182 points.

Despite losing to Romain Cannone in the gold-medal match in Tokyo, Siklósi is ranked above the Frenchman, who is seeded seventh. 

Navarria bagged a bronze medal in the Tokyo 2020 team épée with Italy and is the highest-ranked competitor in the women's individual competition in the Qatari capital.

Estonian Katrina Lehis is expected to be her closest competitor.

Lehis is coming off the back of an impressive 2021 which saw her take gold in the team épée and bronze in the individual event at the Olympics.

As a result, her 143 points put her narrowly behind Navarria's 148.

In total, there are 171 athletes in the individual men's event and 124 in the women's.

The winner of each tournament will receive $5,000 (£3,700/€4,400).

The Qatar event is the first Grand Prix stop of the season, with further legs set to be staged in Turin, Budapest, Seoul, Cali, Shanghai and Moscow until May in épée, foil and sabre disciplines.

Two more cities are set to be announced as hosts for tournaments later in the series.