SPORT Wednesday 2 January 2019 PAGE | 05 PAGE | 07 Froome eyes Brisbane Open: joining legends Britain’s Murray as five-time Tour advances in de France champ latest comeback Djokovic begins title hunt with easy win ARMSTRONG VAS consistently looping heavy TODAY’S ORDER OF PLAY THE PENINSULA cross-court angles, before Second round (prefix denotes seeding) smacking backhand winners CENTRE COURT Top seed Novak Djokovic and down the line on the next ball. It former World No. 3 Stan wasn’t that Khachanov, 3:30pm: Stan Wawrinka vs Nicolas Jarry Wawrinka registered contrasting Wawrinka was simply better and Followed By: (1) Novak Djokovic vs Marton wins to move into the second more consistent on the big Fucsovics round of the Qatar ExxonMobil points. Maximilian Marterer vs Pierre-Hugues Herbert Open. The Swiss has now saved or Dominic Thiem The World No.1 from Serbia nine of 11 break points he has seemed to have picked up from faced against Khachanov. He (8) Fernando Verdasco vs (WC) Tomas Berdych where he left off at the end of will next face another big hitter COURT 1 the 2018 season registering an in Chilean Nicolas Jarry, who 3:30pm: (Q) Guillermo Garcia-Lopez vs (7) impressive 6-1, 6-2 win over defeated Robin Haase on Roberto Bautista Agut Damir Dzumhur. Monday, for the first time. Followed By: Guido Pella vs (4) Marco On the other hand, Sixth seed David Goffin was Wawrinka seeking to bounce also eliminated, as Ricardas Cecchinato back to the top ten having Berankis beat the 2017 Nitto ATP Andrey Rublev vs (5) Nikoloz Basilashvili slipped to ATP rankings of 66 Finalsrunner-up 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(4) Damir Dzumhur and Dusan Lajovic vs (WC) played impressive tennis to in two hours and 18 minutes. The Marko Djokovic and Novak Djokovic defeat World No. 11 and Lithuanian will play Dusan COURT 2 doubles partner Karen Novak Djokovic of Serbia in action during his singles first round match against Damir Dzumhur of Lajovic, who beat Adrian Man- Khachanov 7-6(7), 6-4 in the narino 6-3, 7-6(5), for a spot in 3:30pm: (Q) Ricardas Berankis vs Dusan Lajovic Bosnia on the second day of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2019 at the Khalifa Tennis and Squash first round. the quarter-finals at the ATP 250 Complex in Doha yesterday. PICTURES: SALIM MATRAMKOT/THE PENINSULA Not Before 6:00 pm: Maximo Gonzalez “To start off the tournament event. and Nicolas Jarry vs Robin Haase and Matwe as I have tonight, obviously In other action, fourth seed Middelkoop makes me very, very confident new campaign is any indicator, Tour at the end of the 2018 It was a tantalising match- Marco Cecchinato got his season and also very happy,” Djokovic Djokovic is still trending season. up the moment the draw was off to a good start with a 6-4, 6-2 Followed By: Santiago Gonzalez and said. upwards. While third-seeded made in Qatar. And the level triumph against qualifier Sergiy Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi vs Marton Fucsovics and “First day of the new year, I In the other match, Khachanov won one more point lived up to its billing, as both Stakhovsky. The Italian, who was Guido Pella want to wish everyone a happy Wawrinka was at his vintage than the World No. 66 in the players showed little rust in their victorious in Umag and Budapest COURT 3: new year, lots of good emotions best, who used his backhand to match, Wawrinka saved all four first match of the season. last year, will next face Guido and lots of good tennis.” outhit Khachanov, who was one break points he faced en route to Wawrinka did especially well Pella, who ousted Cem Ilkel (3) Nikola Mektic and Alexander Peya vs David The top seed has won 11 con- of the hottest players on the ATP his one-hour, 42-minute victory. tactically off his backhand wing, 7-6(1), 6-3 Goffin and Pierre-Hugues Herbert secutive matches at the season- opening event — having lifted Stan Wawrinka of the trophy in 2016 and 2017 — QATAR EXXONMOBIL OPEN RESULTS Switzerland returns and he is now 13-1 overall at the the ball to Karen ATP 250 tournament. SINGLES (1ST ROUND) Khachanov of Russia Djokovic won an impressive 1-Novak Djokovic (SRB) bt Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 6-1, 6-2 during their singles 77 per cent of second-serve Q-Ricardas Berankis (LTU) bt 6-David Goffin (BEL) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4) first round match return points against the World Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) bt 3-Karen Khachanov (RUS) 7-6 (9-7), 6-4 yesterday. No. 47 Dzumhur. 4-Marco Cecchinato (ITA) bt Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) 6-4, 6-2 The top seed also took care Guido Pella (ARG) bt Cem Ilkel (TUR) 7-6 (1), 6-3 of his serve, not facing a break Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) bt Mubarak Shannan Zayid (QAT) 6-1, 6-3 point in the match. Dusan Lajovic (SRB) bt Adrian Mannarino (FRA) 6-3, 7-6 (5) Djokovic will next face 2018 Marton Ficsovics (HUN) bt Marius Copil (ROU) 6-3, 6-2 Geneva champion Marton Fuc- sovics for a spot in the DOUBLES (2ND ROUND) quarter-finals. Robin Haase & Matwe Middelkoop (NED) bt 4-Dominic Inglot (GBR) & Fucsovics, beat Marius Copil Franko Skugor (CRO) 3-6, 6-3, 10-7 6-3, 6-2 in 72 minutes. The Hun- Nicolas Jarry (CHI) & Maximo Gonzalez (ARG) bt Albert Ramos-Vinolas & garian saved all eight break Fernando verdasco (ESP) 6-3, 6-4 points he faced to defeat the Aisam Qureshi (PAK) & Santiago Gonzalez (MEX) bt Marco Cecchinato & Romanian, whom he broke four Andreas Sippi (ITA) 6-3, 6-2. times. And if his first match of the Qatar’s Zayid eyes Fans meet their favourite stars surge in rankings at ExxonMobil Qatar Stand THE PENINSULA DOHA ARMSTRONG VAS THE PENINSULA Every year during the Qatar Exxon- Mobil Open, ExxonMobil Qatar offers Qatar’s Mubarak Shannan Zayid has set for fans the opportunity to meet their himself a few targets for the new season In the coming months, I will favourite tennis stars at its stand in with an eye of moving up on the ATP have to work twice as hard the Public Village. Hundreds of tour- ranking ladder. compared to the workload nament-goers from all over the world In the coming months, Zayid aims to which i am doing now. The gather at the stand to meet players increase his workload and is planning to and pick up signed giant size tennis take part in more tournaments to improve increase in workload will also balls. his game and reach new heights. help me to get to a much higher Dominic Thiem, Jamie Murray, “In the coming months, I will have to level performance wise: Zayid and David Goffin have already visited work twice as hard compared to the the stand and tried out the racing car workload which i am doing now. The simulator and the 3D virtual reality Dominic Thiem signs an autograph increase in workload will also help me to tournament. It’s a very high level tournament. green cube. They also signed auto- at the ExxonMobil Qatar Stand. get to a much higher level performance And I’m very happy that Qatar Tennis Feder- graphs for their fans. wise. I have to also compete in more tour- ation gave me this opportunity to play. It “We work very hard to make our example of how Qatar is setting naments, much more than what I’m doing wasn’t an easy match for me to play against stand interesting, entertaining and global standards for excellence right now,” Zayid told reporters after his this guy (Garcia-Lopez). And I knew that I will action-packed for every year of the across various industries and sectors. match. have to work very hard to get like some games Qatar ExxonMobil Open, but when It also shines a light on the country’s Zayid, who was handed a wildcard at or some points. It was not easy to take any the tennis players visit, it makes it an position as a world-leading host of the ongoing Qatar ExxonMobil Open lost points, I really forced it and got some good even more attractive venue for tour- major sporting events. 6-1, 6-3 to World No. 105 Guillermo Garcia- points,” Zayid said about his performance. nament-goers,” said Saleh Al Mana, “We’re very pleased that Exxon- Mubarak Shannan Lopez in the first round match here Zayid said he fancied his chances and Vice President and Director Public Mobil Qatar gives the public the Zayid of Qatar in action yesterday. the scoreline of three-all in the second set and Government Affairs for Exxon- opportunity to meet their tennis idols during his match Zayid was happy that Qatar Tennis Fed- gave him hope at one point in the game Mobil Qatar. at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open year against Guillermmo eration gave him the wild card which helped but lamented that he could not latch onto Every year, the Qatar Tennis after year. The players are helping us Garcia Lopez of Spain him to take on a much higher ranked the opportunity.. Federation (QTF) works tirelessly to inspire a generation of young tennis at the Qatar ExxonMobil opponent in the main draw of the “I think I had the chance to get that game. ensure that some of the biggest players and fans in Qatar – the future Open 2019 yesterday.