FROM LEFT: Spain's Fernando Verdasco, France's Quentin Halys, Italy's Lorenzo Sonego, Russia's Andrei Rublev, Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2023 Tournament Director Karim Alami, Qatar Tennis, Badminton and Squash Federation Secretary General Tariq Zainal, Vice-President of Governmental and Public Affairs at ExxonMobil Saleh Al Mana, and Qatar TotalEnergies Open 2023 Tournament Director Saad Al Mohannadi following the draw ceremony, yesterday.
Doha: Russians Andrey Rublev and Daniil Medvedev, Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime and Alexander Zverez of Germany headline an exciting draw at the 31st edition of the $1,485,775 Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2023 which begins at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex tomorrow.
Joining them at the main draw will be the defending champion Roberto Bautista Agut and former champion Andy Murray of Great Britain.
The qualifying round of the ATP 250 tournament has already begun. The draw for the main round was held yesterday in the presence of Qatar Tennis, Badminton and Squash Federation Secretary General Tariq Zainal, Qatar TotalEnergies Open 2023 Tournament Director Saad Al Mohannadi, Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2023 Tournament Director Karim Alami and Saleh Al Mana, Vice-President of Governmental and Public Affairs at ExxonMobil.
The 28-player draw has four byes with top seed Rublev, second seed Auger-Aliassime, 3rd seed Medvedev and 4th placed Zverez. Wild card entrant three-time Grand Slam champion Murray has been drawn to play Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego in the opening round with a likely meeting with Zverev in the quarter-final. Britain’s Jack Draper who also has an opening round bye will face the winner of Botic van Zandschulp and Ilya Ivashka.
Seeded five, holder Bautista Agut of Spain meets Hungarian Marton Fucsovics in the opening round. Medvedev, who awaits the winner of a match between qualifiers, is likely to meet Bautista Agut in the semi-final.
Canadian Auger-Aliassime could meet South Korean Soonwoo Kwon or Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the last four.
Rublev at the top could have a likely meeting with sixth-seeded Daniel Evans of Britain in the semis if things go as per script. But there could be several hurdles for the top players when the qualifiers emerge in the next two days.
