First Round Down – Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2014

Happy New Year! After the first two days of the play here in Doha, we’re onto the Round-of-16 at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2014…with one upset: Ivo Karlovic def. #4-seed Tomas Berdych. The result of Monday’s third match, however, comes as no surprise to those who’ve followed Ivo and Tomas’s matches through the years…

Ivo came into Monday’s match with a 3-2 lead head-to-head, and most recently had won a tie-break-loaded three-setter over Tomas in Basel back in October. In fact, of the six tie-break sets they’d played in five matches, Karlovic had won four of them.

Monday’s match was no different: Two tie-breaks, advantage Karlovic. Final: Ivo Karlovic def. Tomas Berdych 7-6(7), 7-6(4). Ivo has now won 75-percent of their eight tie-break sets played, defining thier head-to-head matchup.

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Here’s how the field of 32 fared in Round-1:

[1] R Nadal (ESP) d L Rosol (CZE) 62 76(7)
[2] D Ferrer (ESP) d A Dolgopolov (UKR) 63 57 63
[3] A Murray (GBR) d [WC] M Zayed (QAT) 60 60
I Karlovic (CRO) d [4] T Berdych (CZE) 76(7) 76(4)
[5] R Gasquet (FRA) d [WC] K Hossam (EGY) 75 61
[6] P Kohlschreiber (GER) d P Andujar (ESP) 76(7) 62
[7] E Gulbis (LAT) d [Q] D Evans (GBR) 62 46 60
[8] F Verdasco (ESP) d F Volandri (ITA) 63 63
[Q] D Brown (GER) d I Dodig (CRO) 64 62
[Q] P Gojowczyk (GER) d [Q] D Thiem (AUT) 75 60
F Mayer (GER) d M Przysiezny (POL) 62 36 76(5)
D Brands (GER) d N Davydenko (RUS) 64 64
T Kamke (GER) d [WC] M Jaziri (TUN) 63 64
L Kubot (POL) d D Gimeno-Traver (ESP) 64 63
V Hanescu (ROU) d J Sousa (POR) 63 62
G Monfils (FRA) d S Giraldo (COL) 76(1) 62

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Doubles field:

[1] A Peya (AUT) / B Soares (BRA) d [WC] M Jaziri (TUN) / M Zayed (QAT) 61 64
O Marach (AUT) / F Mergea (ROU) d [2] D Marrero (ESP) / F Verdasco (ESP) 63 67(5) 12-10
[3] I Dodig (CRO) / M Melo (BRA) d L Kubot (POL) / M Matkowski (POL) 64 46 10-4
[4] T Huey (PHI) / D Inglot (GBR) d A Dolgopolov (UKR) / T Gabashvili (RUS) 63 76(4)
A Murray (GBR) / N Zimonjic (SRB) d D Brands (GER) / F Mayer (GER) 36 76(5) 10-8
[WC] R Nadal (ESP) / F Roig (ESP) d P Andujar (ESP) / L Rosol (CZE) 63 26 10-4
C Kas (GER) / P Kohlschreiber (GER) d D Bracciali (ITA) / J Knowle (AUT) 62 75
T Berdych (CZE) / J Hajek (CZE) d S Giraldo (COL) / J Sousa (POR) 63 62

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Singles “Round of 16” play tomorrow:

[1] R Nadal (ESP) vs T Kamke (GER)
[2] D Ferrer (ESP) vs D Brands (GER)
[3] A Murray (GBR) vs F Mayer (GER)
[5] R Gasquet (FRA) vs G Monfils (FRA)
[6] P Kohlschreiber (GER) vs. [Q] P Gojowczyk (GER)
[7] E Gulbis (LAT) vs L Kubot (POL)
[8] F Verdasco (ESP) vs V Hanescu (ROU)
I Karlovic (CRO) vs [Q] D Brown (GER)

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Doubles Quaterfinal Matches tomorrow:

[1] A Peya (AUT) / B Soares (BRA) vs A Murray (GBR) / N Zimonjic (SRB)
[3] I Dodig (CRO) / M Melo (BRA) vs [WC] R Nadal (ESP) / F Roig (ESP)
[4] T Huey (PHI) / D Inglot (GBR) vs C Kas (GER) / P Kohlschreiber (GER)
T Berdych (CZE) / J Hajek (CZE) vs O Marach (AUT) / F Mergea (ROU)

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The matches we’ll see on center court here in Doha tomorrow:

F Mayer (GER) vs [3] A Murray (GBR)
[1] R Nadal (ESP) vs T Kamke (GER)
D Brands (GER) vs [2] D Ferrer (ESP)
[5] R Gasquet (FRA) vs G Monfils (FRA)

Happy New Year from Doha!