Dubai, Feb 23: Second-seeded Andrey Rublev beat Daniel Evans 6-4, 7-5 in the first round of the Dubai Championships, just two days after winning his ninth tour title.
The Russian, who defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final at the Open 13 tournament in Marseille on Sunday, next faces Soonwoo Kwan after the South Korean beat Ilya Ivashka 6-3, 6-2.
The seventh-ranked Rublev also won the doubles title in Marseille with Ukrainian partner Denys Molchanov.
“I arrived at the hotel maybe at 2 a.m. today,” Rublev said in his on-court interview Tuesday.
“I slept maybe six or seven hours. I was thinking that probably no chance for me to win, and here I am, I won my first round so I’m really happy. I cannot imagine a better start.”
Karen Khachanov will face top-seeded Novak Djokovic in the second round after the Russian beat Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-7 (1), 7-5.
On Monday, Djokovic won his first match of the year when he beat Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 6-3.
The top-ranked Serb couldn’t defend his Australian Open title last month because he was deported from the country for being unvaccinated.
Fourth-seeded Jannik Sinner outlasted Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3 and will next face Andy Murray.
American qualifier Mackenzie McDonald topped seventh-seeded Aslan Karatsev of Russia 7-5, 6-3 to set up a second-round match against Filip Krajinovic of Serbia. (AP)
