DOHA, January 5, 2020
Four qualifiers have completed the main draw of the 2020 Qatar ExxonMobil Open, which will begin on Monday at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex in Doha.
Marton Fucsovics rallied past Jiri Vesely from the Czech Republic in Sunday’s final round of qualifying, winning 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. The World No. 70 from Hungary sent down five aces and capitalized on all of his five break-point chances to advance in one hour and 48 minutes. Fucsovics will take on No. 8 seed Frances Tiafoe from the United States in the first round of the 28-man draw.
Mikael Ymer also came back from a set down to overcome NextGen ATP Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The 21-year-old from Sweden won two point less than his opponent but sealed a 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory in two hours and 10 minutes. Ymer will play Aljaz Bedene from Slovenia on Monday.
With Gregoire Barrere and Corentin Moutet, two Frenchmen secured their spot in the main draw. Barrere beat Thiago Monteiro of Brazil 6-4, 6-4 and will next face compatriot Jeremy Chardy. The winner of this encounter will oppose Stan Wawrinka from Switzerland, the top seed of the ATP 250 hard-court event. Moutet eased past Australia’s Alexei Popyrin 6-2, 6-4 and will next take on US-American Tennys Sandgren.
The Official Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2020 Draw Ceremony held tonight at Marsa Malaz Kempinski #qemo2020 #qatarexxonmobilopen2020 #qatartennis @ferverdasco @jazirimalek @bigfoe1998 pic.twitter.com/NlNOZFfe2Q
— Qatar Tennis Fed. (@QatarTennis) January 4, 2020
After a first-round bye, Andrey Rublev will step into action. The No. 2 seed from Russia awaits the winner of the match between Tunisian wild card entry Malek Jaziri and fellow Russian Mikhail Kukshkin.
Third favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France will either face Serbian young gun Miomir Kecmanovic or Jordan Thompson from Australia. No. 4 seed Milos Raonic will open his campaign in the desert against either Moutet or Sandgren.
