Berdych Aims To Go One Better In Doha

Tomas Berdych, hoping to go one better than last year’s runner-up finish, opened his 2016 ATP World Tour season with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Sergiy Stakhovsky in 78 minutes on Tuesday at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open. He will next play Damir Dzumhur in the second round.

“It’s always tricky to play him,” said Berdych. “He’s one of the few that likes to come to the net a lot, playing a lot of slice and a lot of variation in the game. I just took my chances in the first set and… in the second. It was quite solid game today… It would be great to leave with the trophy in the end.”

Elsewhere, Pablo Andujar came through a two-hour test against Paolo Lorenzi 6-4, 0-6, 6-4 and Teymuraz Gabashvili saved five of seven break points in a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 win over Simone Bolelli.