Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka won their opening matches of the ATP season, but second seeded Dominic Thiem was shocked by Pierre-Hugues Herbert of France in straight sets in the Qatar ExxonMobil Open yesterday.
World No 1 Djokovic needed only 55 minutes to oust Damir Dzumhur in straight sets, while Thiem was beaten 6-3, 7-5 by Herbert in a late match.
Wawrinka, for his part, sent third seeded rising Russian Karen Khachanov packing, winning 7-6 (9-7), 6-4 to start the season in style after spending most of 2018 on the sidelines with injury.
Three-time Grand Slam champion and former World No 3 Wawrinka struggled last year had dropped out of top-250 for the first time since 2003, before regaining some lost ground at the end of last season. The Swiss began intense preparations for the new season in December, and that was well in evidence yesterday.
Rewinding the clock to the days when he was at his best, Wawrinka displayed some high-class backhand game to get past World No 11 and doubles partner Khachanov. Wawrinka and Khachanov were on the same side of the net on Monday, falling short against David Goffin and Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the doubles first round.
Yesterday, they were on the opposite sides of the court in a highly-anticipated first round match, which lived up to the billing on the Centre Court. Khachanov is one of the most promising players on the circuit, having defeated Djokovic in the final to win the Paris Masters title. But the Russian third seed struggled to get past Wawrinka’s serve, which made a big difference in the end.
In fact, Khachanov won one more point than the World No 66 in the match, but Wawrinka pocketed the important points, including saving all four break points he faced.
Wawrinka’s down-the-line backhand winners were a treat to watch on the day, with Khachanov watching helplessly go past him. The two had faced each other only once previously, with Wawrinka coming out trumps in a tight match less than four months ago in St. Petersburg.
“Today was a great match. I played at a great level after more than a year out. I think, as I said before the tournament, I was happy with the off-season work I did. I worked long and really hard, hard enough to know that sooner or later it will pay off,” said Wawrinka, whose last appearance in Doha came in 2007.
“I’m feeling good physically. Tennis-wise also. Today is the first match of the year against an in-form player, who won Paris Masters last year, had already played three matches before coming here, so I’m happy with the way I was playing today. I’m looking forward for tomorrow’s match,” added the 33-year-old, who will next face Chilean Nicolas Jarry, who defeated Robin Haase yesterday, for the first time.
Meanwhile, Djokovic picked up from where he left off last season, with a 6-1, 6-2 thrashing of 47th ranked Dzumhur to enter the second round. The Serbian has already won an exhibition title in Abu Dhabi before landing in Dubai, and based on last night’s display, looks on course for his third Qatar title.
It was top seed’s 11th consecutive victory in Doha, where he tasted back-to-back success in 2016 and 2017. The top seed will take on Marton Fucsovics today for a spot in the quarter-finals. Fucsovics beat Marius Copil 6-3, 6-2 in 72 minutes. The Hungarian saved all eight break points he faced to defeat the Romanian, whom he broke four times.
“To start off the tournament as I have tonight obviously makes me very, very confident and also very happy. First day of the new year, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year, lots of good emotions and lots of good tennis,” Djokovic said to the cheers of the centre court crowd.
Today, Djokovic will also be in action in doubles, where he will team up with younger brother Marko as the siblings take on Dzumhur and Dusan Lajovic in the quarters.
Meanwhile, sixth seed David Goffin was knocked out early. The Belgian lost to Lithuanian qualifier Ricardas Berankis 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(4) in two hours and 18 minutes. Berankis will play Dusan Lajovic in second round, after the Serbia got past Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 7-6(5).
In another match, fourth seed Marco Cecchinato got his season off to a good start with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph against qualifier Sergiy Stakhovsky.
Results (1st Round)
1-Novak Djokovic (SRB) bt Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 6-1, 6-2; Q-Ricardas Berankis (LTU) bt 6-David Goffin (BEL) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4); Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) bt 3-Karen Khachanov (RUS) 7-6 (9-7), 6-4; 4-Marco Cecchinato (ITA) bt Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) 6-4, 6-2; Guido Pella (ARG) bt Cem Ilkel (TUR) 7-6 (1), 6-3; Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) bt Mubarak Shannan Zayid (QAT) 6-1, 6-3; Dusan Lajovic (SRB) bt Adrian Mannarino (FRA) 6-3, 7-6 (5); Marton Ficsovics (HUN) bt Marius Copil (ROU) 6-3, 6-2; Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) bt 2-Dominic Thiem (AUT) 6-3, 7-5
Doubles (2nd Round)
Robin Haase & Matwe Middelkoop (NED) bt 4-Dominic Inglot (GBR) & Franko Skugor (CRO) 3-6, 6-3, 10-7; Nicolas Jarry (CHI) & Maximo Gonzalez (ARG) bt Albert Ramos-Vinolas & Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 6-3, 6-4; Aisam Qureshi (PAK) & Santiago Gonzalez (MEX) bt Marco Cecchinato & Andreas Sippi (ITA) 6-3, 6-2.
Novak Djokovic blasts a forehand against Bosnian Damir Dzumhur during their first round match yesterday. At right, Qatar’s Mubarak Shannan Zayid in action against Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain. The Spaniard won in straight sets. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil
