DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (News Wires) – Top-seeded Novak Djokovic of Serbia returned to the court and had five aces while producing a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Italian wild card Lorenzo Musetti in the opening round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in the United Arab Emirates.
Djokovic couldn’t defend his Australian Open title last month because he was deported from the country for being unvaccinated.
The United Arab Emirates allowed him entry, and Djokovic cashed in at a tournament he’s won five times.
Sidelined since last year’s Davis Cup Finals, Djokovic has gone from the brink of a Calendar Year Grand Slam to practically persona non grata.
The Serb is still steadfastly against receiving the scientifically and medically-endorsed COVID-19 vaccine – officially making him the only unvaccinated player in the ATP’s Top 100 – but nonetheless enjoyed raucous support from the crowd, who spontaneously broke into a “NO-VAK” cheer during the coin toss and received a thumbs up from the embattled Djokovic.
Musetti took two sets off Djokovic at the French Open last year but, on a breezy Dubai evening, the Italian wild card couldn’t convert bags of break chances while trailing 3-1 in the first set and 4-2 in the second.
“I have to be satisfied with my tennis, especially after not playing for two and a half, three months,” Djokovic said on court according to AP.
“Of course, there were moments when I played great; there were moments when I made a couple of unforced errors in a row uncharacteristically. But it’s normal to expect that (in my) first match after a while.”
He next faces Karen Khachanov or Alex de Minaur.
Andy Murray won his first match in Dubai since his title run in 2017. He beat Australian qualifier Christopher O’Connell 6-7 (4), 6-3, 7-5 after nearly three hours.
It was an appropriate reaction given the Serb’s own resolve to play only where he is welcome – his main takeaway from a disastrous attempt to play the Australian Open with a visa exemption that was first granted and later revoked by the Australian government.
“Wherever I have an opportunity, I’ll be using probably that opportunity and going to play because this is what I do, it’s what I love to do still,” he explained in a pre-tournament press conference held.
Muguruza, Kvitova, Kontaveit earn straight-sets wins
Both of last year’s Qatar Open finallists picked up victories in Doha, as Garbine Muguruza of Spain and Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic earned straight-sets wins.
No.5 seed Muguruza, the 2021 runner-up, survived a tough first set against Sorana Cirstea of Romania before easing to a 7-6(4), 6-1 second-round win in an hour and 27 minutes.
“I feel like I started slow, and she was playing very aggressively since the beginning,” Muguruza said afterwards. “I had to bring something different, better energy, better game, so I did. I’m very happy that I was able to go through this tough match.”
Muguruza improved her win-loss record against 31st-ranked Cirstea to 5-0, and 10-0 in sets. One of those victories came at Doha in 2018, and another came in the third round of 2017 Wimbledon, en route to Muguruza’s second of her two Grand Slam titles.
Muguruza is now 13-6 in Doha throughout her career. The former World No.1 has twice reached the final, in 2018 and last year. In both of those finals, she was defeated by Kvitova.
Defending champion Kvitova, meanwhile, reversed a recent result as she swept past Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania 6-3, 6-1 in the first round.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova had been 5-0 against Begu through the start of this year, but Begu finally got her first win over Kvitova in St. Petersburg just two weeks ago, and in straight sets to boot.
However, 21st-ranked Kvitova got back on track in their rivalry in Doha, knocking out World No.55 Begu in just 55 minutes. Kvitova won 82 percent of points behind her fearsome first serve and converted five of her six break points on the day.
Former World No.2 Kvitova will next face No.16 seed Elise Mertens of Belgium in the second round, after Mertens overcame Jasmine Paolini of Italy 6-3, 2-6, 7-5. Kvitova won her lone prior meeting against Mertens, in the 2018 Cincinnati quarterfinals.
No.4 seed Anett Kontaveit of Estonia joined Muguruza in the round of 16, after Kontaveit defeated Ana Konjuh of Croatia 6-2, 6-3 in an hour and 24 minutes.
World No.7 Kontaveit had to face 12 break points in the encounter, but fended off 10 of them to collect her second win in two meetings against 51st-ranked Konjuh.
The victory marks Kontaveit’s 10th match-win of 2022, joining Simona Halep, Madison Keys, Ashleigh Barty and Jelena Ostapenko in the 10-win club for the year so far.
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