DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Second-seeded Andrey Rublev beat Daniel Evans 6-4, 7-5 in the first round of the Dubai Championships on Tuesday, just two days after winning his ninth tour title.
The Russian, who
defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final at the Open 13 tournament in Marseille on Sunday, next faces Soonwoo Kwan after the South Korean beat Ilya Ivashka 6-3, 6-2.
The seventh-ranked Rublev also won the doubles title in Marseille with Ukrainian partner Denys Molchanov.
"I arrived at the hotel maybe at 2 a.m. today," Rublev said in his on-court interview Tuesday. "I slept maybe six or seven hours. I was thinking that probably no chance for me to win, and here I am, I won my first round so I'm really happy. I cannot imagine a better start."
Karen Khachanov will face top-seeded Novak Djokovic in the second round after the Russian beat Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-7 (1), 7-5.
