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[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-microphone”] ROUND-1 MATCH RECAP FROM EMCEE ANDY TAYLOR
[1] Novak Djokovic -01- (SRB) def Damir Dzumhur -47- (BIH)
It’s a crazy world. Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur started 2019 the same way 2018 ended: Facing Novak Djokovic.
The two met in the Paris Masters back in November, where Dzumhur upset World #16 Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach the Round of 16 versus Djokovic. Novak won the match (61 21 RET), then played through to the Final – where he fell to Karen Khachanov. Despite the loss, Novak regained the World #1 ranking for the first time in 2-years.
Damir can at least say he’s making progress against the World #1. He won 3-games and didn’t retire on New Year’s Day – that’s a plus. Like in November, the sport’s most prolific returner owned the former actor‘s serve.
Up next for Djokovic: Marton Fucsovics -36- (HUN)
Round-1 Biography | [1] Novak Djokovic -01- (SRB)
What this man accomplished last year is nothing short of extraordinary. Injured at the start of the season, by May he fell outside the ATP top-20 for the first time in nearly 12-years…but he persevered. Over the Summer, he won his 13th Grand Slam Singles title at Wimbledon, then made tennis history in Cincinnati, defeating Roger Federer in the championship match to become the first player ever to earn the career Golden Masters. He then captured his 14th Major at the US Open, won the Shanghai Masters, and with a run the Paris Masters Final, regained the World #1 ranking for the first time in 2-years. Since June, he’s been the Champion or Finalist in 7 of the 8 tournaments he’s played, including his 11th career appearance in the year-end ATP Finals. From Serbia, please welcome back to Doha, 2-time Qatar ExxonMobil Open Champion and the #1 Player in the World, Novak Djokovic.
Round-1 Biography | Damir Dzumhur -47- (BIH)
This 26-year-old is the top-ranked Bosnian in the history of the ATP Tour. His tremendous climb started just 17 months ago, when he reached his first ATP Tour-level Final in Winston-Salem. That season, he went on to claim his first title in St. Petersburg (becoming the first man representing Bosnia to capture at ATP Tour Singles Title), won his second in Moscow (the first player in tennis history to win both events played on Russian soil in the same season); and last July, jumped to a career-high ranking of World #23 after capturing his third title in Antalya. He owns 4 career wins over top-10 opponents, including Rafael Nadal at the 2016 Miami Masters and World #3 Stan Wawrinka last year in Dubai. Competing in his second Qatar ExxonMobil Open, from Bosnia-Herzegovina, please welcome Damir Dzumhur.
Emcee Corner: It’s true. Damir Dzumhur was a child actor
Have you seen the 2007 German film Mörderischer Frieden? That’s 14-year-old Damir Dzumhur playing the underage sniper.
