Defending champion Humbert eases through opener in Dubai

Defending champion Ugo Humbert picked up where he left off last year as he trounced Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 6-0 in the first round of the Dubai Open on Tuesday afternoon.

The Frenchman, seeded fifth this week and ranked No 15, recorded his fifth straight win and will now play Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in the second round.

Dubai ATP 500, other first-round results (Aviation Club Tennis Centre, hard, USD 3.237.670, most recent results first):

• Gael Monfils vs. Matteo Berrettini
• Christopher O’Connell vs. Grigor Dimitrov
• Daniil Medvedev vs. Jan-Lennard Struff: tuesday
• Quentin Halys (Q) beat Andrey Rublev (3): 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5)
• Tallon Griekspoor beat Roman Safiullin (Q): 5-7, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (1)
• Felix Auger-Aliassime beat Alexander Bublik: 7-6 (7), 6-7 (4), 6-3
• Marin Cilic beat Alex De Minaur (2): 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
• Nuno Borges beat Arthur Fils (8): 6-2, 6-1
• Luca Nardi (LL) beat Marton Fucsovics (Q): 1-6, 6-2, 6-3
• Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard beat Zhizhen Zhang: 6-3, 7-6 (3)
• Stefanos Tsitsipas (4) beat Lorenzo Sonego: 7-6 (4), 6-3
• Zizou Bergs beat Aziz Dougaz (WC): 6-3, 6-3
• Karen Khachanov beat Daniel Evans (WC): 6-1, 6-3
• Alexei Popyrin beat Hady Habib (WC): 6-2, 6-4
• Roberto Bautista Agut beat Fabian Marozsan: 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4)