Jannik Sinner came back from the brink at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Tuesday.

The fourth seed saved three match points in a nail-biting second-set tie-break to defeat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-3 in the first round of the ATP 500 event.

Despite struggling for rhythm for much of the match, the World No. 10 upped his level late on to surge to victory in his first ATP Head2Head meeting with the Spanish World No. 43.

After a tight start Davidovich Fokina broke through late in the first set, converting the first break point of the match for 5-4 and then taking the set after Sinner sent a forehand long.

The match hinged on the second set tie-break. A previously under-par Sinner left it to the last possible moment to come out firing, reeling off five points in a row to recover from 6/3 down and force a third set.

The momentum shift was complete as the Italian kicked on in the decider. He secured a break for 4-2 before serving out for victory, letting out a roar of approval after converting his second match point. Sinner’s comeback was powered by consistent serving, the five-time ATP Tour titlist ending the match having won 78 per cent (46/59) of points behind his first delivery.

Sinner, who made the quarter-finals in Dubai in 2021, now plays former World No. 1 Andy Murray in the second round. Murray won their only previous meeting in straight sets in Stockholm in November.

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Defending champion Aslan Karatsev earlier suffered a shock first-round exit at the hands of American Mackenzie McDonald.

The Russian won the pair’s first meeting in the second round of January’s Australian Open, but the World No. 61 showed no fear in Dubai as he broke Karatsev four times on the way to a 7-5, 6-3 victory. McDonald now faces Filip Krajinovic in the second round after the Serbian completed a 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-4 comeback win over Malek Jaziri.

Alexander Zverev and Jenson Brooksby capped a remarkable first day of action at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC with a three-hour, 18-minute epic played out in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Defending champion Zverev was made to dig deep to save two match points in the second-set tie-break before clinching a 3-6, 7-6(10), 6-2 victory in one of the most exciting matches of 2022 so far.

The finish time of 4:55am marks the latest ever finish to an ATP tennis match, eclipsing Lleyton Hewitt’s 2008 Australian Open clash with Marcos Baghdatis, which ended at 4:34am local time.

“Right now I’m happy that I won,” said Zverev after his comeback win. “I don’t know how Jenson feels, but it must be difficult. I’m happy to be a part of history. It was an incredible battle, I think it was an incredible match, and hopefully [there are] many more to come from me this week.

“Today I didn’t play my best, there’s no doubt about it, but I didn’t give up. I knew that I want to do well [in Acapulco], I’m the defending champion and I want to give myself the best chance to win. I did well to survive today.”

Following similarly marathon wins for John Isner and Stefan Kozlov on centre court, Zverev and Brooksby came onto court at around 1:30am local time. The late start didn’t stop them putting on a show, however, with both players producing a top-class level to make it a trio of absorbing encounters on day one for an enraptured crowd.

3am in the morning and you’re playing rallies like this 😨@JensonBrooksby & @AlexZverev are just superhuman!#AMT2022 pic.twitter.com/jLWqmmUFmu

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 22, 2022

Brooksby had pushed Zverev to three sets in the pair’s only previous meeting at the 2021 BNP Paribas Open and he had the World No. 3 under pressure again early, breaking the German to love for 5-3 and converting his first set point to lead.

A marathon one-hour, 51-minute second set, packed with absorbing rallies, saw no breaks before Zverev pulled through in the tie-break to level the match.

The second seed maintained that momentum into the decider, breaking Brooksby for first time in the match for a 2-1 lead and then again to seal the win and extend his match record in Acapulco to 13-3.

Zverev’s serve was crucial in helping him defy Brooksby, the German firing nine aces overall and winning 77 per cent (55/71) of points on first serve.

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“Acapulco is always special to me,” said Zverev. “The crowd is always special. It’s always super loud here, the energy is unbelievable. At 5am the stadium is still quite full. There’s nowhere else in the world where the people appreciate tennis the way they do here.”

Zverev’s next assignment in Mexico will be a second-round meeting with Peter Gojowczyk, after the World No. 95 defeated Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 6-4.

Also on Monday, eighth seed Pablo Carreno Busta defeated qualifier Oscar Otte 6-2, 6-4 on his Acapulco debut. The World No. 17 saved three break points and converted three of his own to overcome the German and set a second-round clash with John Millman or Marcos Giron.

Stefan Kozlov was enjoying an evening practice with 21-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal when the call came in Acapulco.

A few hours later the World No. 130 was celebrating overcoming severe second-set cramps on his way to winning the longest match in Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC history after downing 2014 champion Grigor Dimitrov 7-6(8), 5-7, 6-3 on Monday night.

Kozlov had narrowly fallen to Oscar Otte in the final round of qualifying on Sunday, but he took full advantage of Maxime Cressy’s late withdrawal in Mexico to stun the World No. 33 Dimitrov in a three-hour, 21-minute marathon.

“I just fought really hard and stayed focused at the end there,” said Kozlov after his win. “Obviously, I had a chance to win in two sets and cramped up fully, and I had to give away a couple of games, but thankfully I had a fighting spirit today and I just relied on it. I happened to play my best tennis towards the end.”

Absolutely crazy scenes in Acapulco, and @GrigorDimitrov never forgets how to be a great sport.

AMAZING – and we hope Stefan Kozlov is okay. 👏#AMT2022 pic.twitter.com/ZFtoF2lllA

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 22, 2022

Kozlov saved two set points in an epic first-set tie-break, clinching it 10/8, before the drama increased a notch further in one of the most extraordinary sets of 2022 so far.

The American tried to celebrate upon breaking Dimitrov for 5-3 but immediately cramped in both legs, Dimitrov sportingly crossing the net to check on his opponent.

A physically hampered Kozlov was unable to serve out the victory as Dimitrov levelled the match, but the American incredibly found a second wind to clinch the only break of the deciding set and seal the biggest win of his career.

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Kozlov’s second-round opponent will be either Denis Kudla or his Monday practice partner, fourth seed Rafael Nadal.

The American was delighted with the way things had turned out. “Today I was totally expecting not to be playing,” he said. “Now I’ve got the biggest win of my career and I’m about to play Rafa Nadal.

“I was practising with him today at six o’clock and then I saw my messages. I think he’s just a fantastic human being, I just have so much respect and I can’t wait to put on a show with him.”

John Isner was on the brink of defeat Monday evening in Acapulco, but the American served his way out of trouble and into the second round.

The 36-year-old saved a match point at 2-5 in the third set before rallying past Spanish wild card Fernando Verdasco 7-5, 6-7(4), 7-6(3) after three hours and 14 minutes at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC.

After taking a tough second-set tie-break, Verdasco had all the momentum. Isner trailed 2-5 in the decider and 30/40 on his serve. But with his back against the wall, the American hit a forehand drop volley from an awkward position to stay alive.

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Isner then raised his level to break back in the next game before eventually winning in a final-set tie-break. Verdasco hit sensational returns throughout the match against one of the best servers in tennis history, but Isner’s 29 aces were too much to overcome.

Another American had less difficulty Monday evening. Seventh seed Taylor Fritz defeated Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-3 in one hour and 33 minutes to set a second-round clash against Spanish wild card Feliciano Lopez or Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka.

Two younger Americans fell short in their openers. Sebastian Korda served for his match against Dusan Lajovic, but the Serbian stormed back for a 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 victory after two hours and 42 minutes. German Peter Gojowczyk, a lucky loser, dismissed Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 6-4.

It took Juan Ignacio Londero nearly three hours on Monday, but the 28-year-old found a way to advance in Santiago.

The Argentine outlasted 22-year-old countryman Tomas Martin Etcheverry 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 after two hours and 51 minutes to reach the second round of the Chile Dove Men+Care Open. The 28-year-old qualifier saved seven of the 10 break points he faced and converted four of his six break opportunities.

Londero, who including qualifying has won three matches this week in Santiago, is pursuing his second ATP Tour title. Three years ago, he triumphed in Cordoba, and later that year climbed to a career-high No. 50 in the ATP Rankings.

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The World No. 139, who also made the Cordoba semi-finals earlier this month, will next play 2021 Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals competitor Sebastian Baez or Juan Pablo Varillas of Peru.

In other action another Argentine, Facundo Bagnis, eased past Spaniard Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-3, 6-0 in 62 minutes. The eighth seed won his first match of the year against Andy Murray. However, he arrived in Santiago on a six-match losing streak.

After getting back on track Monday, Bagnis will hope to maintain his momentum against Bolivian Hugo Dellien or Chilean qualifier Gonzalo Lama.

Novak Djokovic defeated #NextGenATP wild card Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 6-3 on Monday evening at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in his first match of the season.

The match proved more straightforward than his previous meeting with Musetti, which came in the fourth round at Roland Garros last year. In that encounter, a dramatic match in Paris, the Italian was forced to retire in the fifth set after holding a two-sets-to-love lead. 

“All in all, it’s a straight-sets win, so of course I have to be satisfied with my tennis, especially after not playing for two-and-a-half, three months,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview. “Of course, there were moments when I played great, there were moments when I made a couple of unforced errors in a row uncharacteristically. But it’s normal to expect that [in my] first match after a while.

“I’m glad that I managed to finish out the job tonight in straight sets against a very talented player from Italy who possesses a lot of quality. Of course, he didn’t have much to lose and in windy conditions [it was] a bit tricky to play. But all in all, a very, very pleasant experience for me tonight.”

It was not a flawless performance from Djokovic, but he brought his best in the crucial moments, saving all seven break points he faced to extend his match record in Dubai to 42-6.

The first set hinged on the fourth and fifth games, Djokovic converting his second break point for 3-1 and then recovering from 0/40 to reinforce the break as his speed around court kept Musetti at bay.

The second set was not without its difficult moments for the top seed either, Musetti’s return game presenting a real threat as Djokovic fended off four break points to hold for 4-2.

“I was fortunate to find the right serves on those break points I faced in the sixth game of the second set,” Djokovic said. “That gave me huge relief obviously for the rest of the match.”

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It was nonetheless an accomplished first outing of 2022 for the 37-time ATP Masters 1000 winner, who struck 13 winners including five aces to seal victory in 74 minutes. 

Djokovic needs to perform strongly this week to give himself the best possible chance of retaining his No. 1 spot in the ATP Rankings, which is under threat from Daniil Medvedev (View World No. 1 Scenarios Here). Djokovic’s second-round opponent will be Russian Karen Khachanov or Australian Alex de Minaur.

Andy Murray has returned to winning ways in Dubai.

The former World No. 1 was made to work hard for victory on his first appearance at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships since his title run in 2017, coming through a tough first-round clash with qualifier Christopher O’Connell on Monday.

A wayward Murray fell behind in his first meeting with the World No. 158 but kept his composure to run out a 6-7(4), 6-3, 7-5 winner in two hours and 51 minutes.

A cagey first set looked to be going the Australian’s way when forehand errors from the Scot helped him break for 5-4, but the Scot reacted immediately for a break of his own. The Australian stayed solid to take the tie-break 7/4, however, Murray growing frustrated with another unforced error on set point.

O’Connell has enjoyed his time in the Middle East, also qualifying for the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha last week, and Murray was forced to up his level to get himself back into the match. He did so immediately, breaking in the first game of the second set and levelling the match with a second break.

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A deciding set of small margins saw Murray save four break points under pressure when serving at 4-4, and the World No. 89 saved his best for the end as a superbly controlled backhand winner brought up three match points on the O’Connell serve. The Brit converted the second to seal victory, with both players having hit 31 winners in an engrossing encounter.

Murray will look to secure his 700th career win in the second round in Dubai, where his opponent will be either World No. 43 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina or fourth seed Jannik Sinner.