Alkass Digital
Top seed Andrey Rublev is eyeing a repeat of his heroics in Doha three years ago as the World No.4 starts as favourite to win the Qatar ExxonMobil Open which begins today.
The tournament, which was named as best in the world at the ATP Awards last year, sees Felix Auger-Aliassime, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev as main challengers for Rublev in the title hunt as all four of them will start from Round of 16 stage after receiving first round byes.
Defending champion Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain will target his third title in the Qatari capital.
Russian Rublev returned to Doha following a straight-set loss to Australia’s Alex de Minaur in the Round of 32 in the Rotterdam Tournament last week. He will take on either Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, who reached the semis in the same event, or Frenchman Quentin Halys at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex in his opening match later this week.
The 25-year-old Rublev holds fond memories of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, having reached his maiden tour-level hard-court final in 2018 before winning the prestigious Golden Falcon trophy two years later.Last night, Medvedev produced one of his best comebacks in the season by defeating Janic Sinner to clinch the Rotterdam title, having denied Auger-Aliassime’s chances of defending the same at the quarter-final stage. The duo is on collision course again if they reach the semi-finals this week in Doha.
Meanwhile, 25-year-old World No 17 Zverev is looking to recapture his best form after a long-term ankle injury. The German 19-time ATP Tour title winner will meet either two-time champion Andy Murray or Lorenzo Sonego in Round of 16.
Two-time champion “Sir” Murray, a winner of three Grand Slam titles and two Olympic Gold medals, will feature in the tournament as a wildcard entrant. He took home the Doha title in 2008 and 2009 apart from finishing as runner up in the 2007 and 2017 editions.
The veteran Briton, despite being ranked 70th in the world, is showing signs of returning to his vintage glory. He displayed outstanding performance at last month’s Australian Open, saving a match point in a thrilling five-set win against Matteo Berrettini in the opening round, and followed it up with an amazing comeback victory over Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second round, before bowing out with a loss to Bautista Agut.
Bautista Agut was in brilliant form last year as he captured his second Doha crown, after his triumph in 2019. The Spanish World No 24 is seeded fifth this time and will be aiming for his ninth ATP Tour title on hard courts, and his 12th overall. He will kick off his title defence against Hungarian challenger Marton Fuscovics.
Today’s Round 1 match-ups will also see Russia’s Aslan Karatsev taking on Aussie Jason Kubler, wildcard and Fernando Verdasco of Spain against Australia’s Christopher O’connell, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain against Frenchman Constant Lestienne and Ukrainian Oleksii Krutykh against qualifier Liam Broady of Great Britain.