Federer To Meet Kohlschreiber In Dubai Opener

Chasing his 100th tour-level title, Roger Federer will begin his quest for a record eighth Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title against Philipp Kohlschreiber.

The seven-time champion, who most recently lifted the trophy in 2015 (d. Djokovic), will be making his first tour-level appearance since falling to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Australian Open fourth round last month. With a perfect 13-0 FedEx ATP Head2Head series record against Kohlschreiber, Federer will be aiming to improve to 13-1 in first-round matches at the ATP 500 event. Andy Murray is the only man to have beaten the 99-time tour-level titlist in the first round, having defeated Federer in three sets in 2008.

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If Federer comes through his opening match against Kohlschreiber, the Swiss could potentially face Fernando Verdasco in the second round. Federer shares the bottom quarter of the draw with seventh-seeded Canadian Milos Raonic, who has opened his 2019 campaign with seven wins from 10 matches. The former World No. 3 reached back-to-back quarter-finals in Brisbane and at the Australian Open, before a second-round loss to eventual runner-up Stan Wawrinka in Rotterdam.

Karen Khachanov and Borna Coric will both feature in the same half of the draw as Federer. Khachanov, who opens against Nikoloz Basilashvili, will be eager to return to winning ways after back-to-back opening-match losses in Sofia (l. to Berrettini) and Rotterdam (l. to Griekspoor). After suffering a second-round defeat to Ugo Humbert in Marseille, Coric will be bidding to reach his third quarter-final in four appearances in Dubai.

In the top half, No. 1 seed Kei Nishikori will be aiming to extend his winning streak against Benoit Paire to four matches. The Dubai debutant owns a 5-2 FedEx ATP Head2Head record against Paire and will be hoping to continue his strong start to the season. Nishikori has reached the quarter-finals or better in each of his three tournament outings this year, which includes his title run at the Brisbane International (d. Medvedev) last month. Nishikori is joined in the top quarter of the draw by Australian Open semi-finalist Tsitsipas, who is aiming to lift his second ATP Tour title this week in Marseille.

Two-time Dubai quarter-finalist Marin Cilic will return to the event for the first time since 2010. The third seed faces a tough opener against recently-crowned Rotterdam champion Gael Monfils. The in-form Frenchman is unbeaten in three FedEx ATP Head2Head encounters against Cilic.

Eighth seed Daniil Medvedev could meet the winner of that match in the quarter-finals. The 23-year-old Russian opens against a qualifier, with a potential second-round clash against Sofia semi-finalist Matteo Berrettini or Denis Kudla.