Dubai Open: Defending champion Rublev through to second round

Russian Andrey Rublev, the second seed, won against Serb Filip Krajinovic 7-5, 6-2 to move into the second round of the Dubai Open at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre on Monday.

Rublev, ranked No 6, will play Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina next.

Rublev is aiming to becoming the ATP’s first back-to-back Dubai champion since Roger Federer managed it in 2014 and 2015. However, so far this season he has not got beyond the quarter-final stage of a tournament, losing in the Australian Open to eventual champion Novak Djokovic, and in Doha last week to semi-finalist Jiri Lehecka.

Dubai ATP500, other first-round results (Aviation Club Tennis Centre, hard, USD 2.855.495, most recent results first):

• Alexander Shevchenko vs. Hubert Hurkacz
• Novak Djokovic vs. Tomas Machac
• Alexander Bublik vs. Alexandar Lazarov
• Daniil Medvedev vs. Matteo Arnaldi
• Francesco Passaro vs. Mikael Ymer
• Daniel Evans vs. Borna Coric
• Karen Khachanov vs. Botic van de Zandschulp
• Maxime Cressy vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime
• Emil Ruusuvuori vs. Christopher O’Connell
• Alexander Zverev vs. Jiri Lehecka
• Alexei Popyrin vs. Pavel Kotov: monday
• Alejandro Davidovich Fokina beat Malek Jaziri (WC): 6-2, 6-0
• Tallon Griekspoor beat Constant Lestienne: 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
• Marc-Andrea Huesler vs. Lorenzo Sonego: monday
• Thanasi Kokkinakis (WC) beat Quentin Halys (LL): 6-4, 7-6 (9)

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