Announcer Andy Taylor | Voice of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open | Qatar Tennis Federation
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[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-microphone”] ROUND-1 MATCH RECAP FROM ANNOUNCER ANDY TAYLOR
[8] Fernando Verdasco -28- (ESP) def [LL] Paolo Lorenzi -110- (ITA)
Fernando Verdasco is now 4-0 against scrappy veteran and ATP Challenger Tour heavyweight Paolo Lorenzi. Before tonight’s 63 64 victory, Verdasco last defeated Lorenzi in the 1st-Round of last year’s ATP Masters event in Madrid 75 64.
Up next for Verdasco: Tomas Berdych -71- (CZE).
The Round of 16 clash between Verdasco and Berdych will be their 15th career-meeting. Fernando has only won four of their previous matches, including their first career meeting 14-years-ago in Sydney. Truth be told, the durable Spaniard hasn’t beaten Berdych since 2010. They last played in the Quarterfinals of the 2012 Madrid Masters. Berdych allowed Verdasco only three games en-route to the victory 61 62.
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Day-1. Updated Singles Draw
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Day-1. Updated Doubles Draw
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Round-1 Biography | [8] Fernando Verdasco -28- (ESP)
Now 35-years-old, over the past 17-years, this 3-time Davis Cup Champion has amassed 7 ATP Singles titles, 8 doubles titles, won the year-end Doubles Championship at the 2013 ATP Finals; and has been ranked as high as World #7, following a Semifinal run at the 2009 Australian Open. He’s a 23-time Finalist on Tour and owns 27 career-wins over top-10 opponents, including three last year alone. Respected for his lasting endurance and stamina, last May he celebrated his 500th career match victory in his hometown of Madrid, and has competed in 62 consecutive Majors – the second-longest active streak on the ATP Tour. A Semifinalist here two-years-ago, he’s also a 2-time Doha Doubles Semifinalist and is competing in his 7th Qatar ExxonMobil Open. From Spain, please welcome Fernando Verdasco.
Round-1 Biography | [LL] Paolo Lorenzi -110- (ITA)
He’s already played a pair of qualifying matches over the weekend, and while he fell in a tight 2-sets to Ricardas Berankis yesterday – good fortune smiled on the 37-year-old veteran, as he was granted the “Lucky Loser” position in this year’s Draw. A Quarterfinalist here in Doha back in 2013, he captured his first ATP Tour-level Singles title 3-years-ago in Kitzbühel, becoming the oldest first-time champion ever on the ATP Tour. One of the most successful talents in the history of the ATP Challenger Tour, he’s now a 34-time Challenger Finalist, and last year captured his 20th and 21st Challenger Tour Singles titles. He also earned the second biggest win of his career in 2018, defeating World #16 Kyle Edmund in Round-1 of the US Open. Competing in his 7th Qatar ExxonMobil Open, from Italy, please welcome Paolo Lorenzi.
Qualifying:
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-chevron-up”] R2 lost [6] Ricardas Berankis -117- (LTU) 46 67(4) ** Awarded “LL” in the Draw
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-chevron-up”] R1 def [WC] Jabor Al-Mutawa (QAT) 61 60
