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The top two players in the world take to the court for their first matches since the Australian Open in the upcoming Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Following on from the Women’s event last week that Simona Halep won, the Men’s event will welcome four of the top 10 while all seeds are in the top 20. The event has been dominated by Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic – since 2002 there has been just two other winners.

Check out the Full Draw: ATP Dubai 2015 Draw

Watch the matches live here: ATP Dubai Live Stream

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Djokovic has won 4 of the last 6, including three in a row in the 2009-2011 stretch. He will be the favourite to win his fifth and extend his winning streak to 12 matches. He is 2-0 against his opening opponent Vasek Pospisil, most recently defeating the Canadian in straight sets on his way to the title in Beijing last year. Big serving Frenchman Fabrice Martin sprung a shock in qualifying by defeating Borna Coric in a third set tie break to make the main draw. He faces Andrey Golubev for the chance to likely test himself against the World No.1.

Another two qualifiers make up the top quarter of the draw with Marsel Ilhan playing Alexander Zverev, the highly rated young German who is the recipient of another wildcard. James Ward will likely move into the top 100 if he can win his opening round match but the draw wasn’t too kind to him, pairing him with 6th seed Feliciano Lopez. They have met before on a hard court, the Spaniard winning in three sets at Indian Wells last year.

A losing finalist two years running, Tomas Berdych will hope to go one better but will probably have to beat both men who picked up victories over him in the 2013 and 2014 finals respectively. Losing to Federer last year and Djokovic in 2013, the Czech has generally performed well here. Given his draw, another semi final looks on the cards. He begins against Jeremy Chardy, an opponent he has beaten on both occasions they have played including at this event in 2011. With Berdych possibly awaiting in round two, Simone Bolelli will need to be at his best if he wants to pick up a second top 10 win in 2 weeks. The Italian, who defeated Milos Raonic in Marseille, faces qualifier Lucas Pouille first up.

With an 0-4 record in 2015, Ernests Gulbis is there for the taking for Denis Istomin in his round one clash. Gulbis is still ranked 13 in the world but may see his ranking suffer if he fails to reverse this troubling slide in the recent weeks. Istomin’s form however is similarly poor, only winning a match in Montpellier this year. Sergiy Stakhovsky will hope to push on from his impressive run in Marseille, where he was just a set from making the final after already surprising Stan Wawrinka in the quarter finals.

David Goffin is listed as 8th seed and set to play wildcard Marcos Baghdatis in his opener assuming he has recovered from the back issues that saw his retirement in the first set of his match with Dominic Thiem in Marseille. A quarter finalist last year, Malek Jaziri will begin against the opponent that knocked him out at that stage. Philipp Kohlschreiber‘s third win in three outings against Jaziri earned him a place in the semi finals.

James McGee is the final wildcard choice and one that seems strange on the face of it. The 27 year old is ranked outside the top 200 and his only experience of a main draw is the 2014 US Open which he entered as a qualifier. The Irishman has yet to win a Challenger but has won a number of Futures events. It should be a good experience but Joao Sousa should be too strong for him. Andy Murray is the third seed here and will hope to go one better than his outing in 2012 where he was a losing finalist to Roger Federer. After a disappointing 2014 by his standards, he showed a lot to indicate that he was back to his best in Melbourne and will be disappointed at the way the back end of the match went. Murray begins against Gilles Muller, who pulled off two big wins in his last event in Rotterdam. Murray will hope not to go the way of Dimitrov and Goffin and instead make it 2-0 against the Luxembourg player in ATP play.

The final quarter sees a rematch of the 2007 final with six times champion Roger Federer playing two times losing finalist Mikhail Youzhny. The Russian was seeded at the event last year but struggled badly at times last year and now finds himself outside the top 50. With an 0-15 record against Federer, it seems things won’t get any better for him this week. A Spanish lefty could be waiting in the second round but it is one that Federer has a slightly better record against. Federer is 5-0 against Fernando Verdasco, who faces Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in round one.

Roberto Bautista-Agut rounds off the seeds in the draw at 7 and will play Dominic Thiem first up. They have met once this year with the Spaniard winning in four sets at the Australian Open. The Spaniard is 6-5 on the year and most recently lost the semi final of Marseille to Gael Monfils. Richard Gasquet will come into this tournament full of confidence after taking the Montpellier title last time out, even if the final was cut short by retirement. The Frenchman is 4-1 against Andreas Seppi and 2-0 on hard but they have not played since 2012.

Prediction
SF: Novak Djokovic def. Tomas Berdych
SF: Andy Murray def. Roger Federer
F: Novak Djokovic def. Andy Murray

Simona Halep completed a turbulent week on the tour in style, as she defeated surging adversary Karolina Pliskova to lift her first Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title – the biggest of her professional career to date.

Early on, the match appeared as though it would be a straightforward encounter, as Halep opened up the match, found her break and stole the opening set in just over 40 minutes. However, she found herself 0-2 down in the second set, and had to fight back in a grueling second frame to close out the match 6-4, 7-6(4) in 1 hour and 47 minutes.

“I’m very happy right now. I cannot explain in words how I feel,” Halep said. “It’s an amazing title for me. It’s very important for my career. I’m really happy and just want to enjoy this moment.

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“At the beginning of the tournament some people asked me if I felt pressure because I was the No.1 seed. I said no, because I wasn’t thinking about it, and I just wanted to go on court and play match by match, because everyone would play really well here. And I played with big players like Makarova, Pliskova, Wozniacki – she was No.1 two years. So it’s honestly just an amazing victory for me.”

Pliskova, who had never been to the quarter-final stage of a Premier level event such as this one, let alone the final, was far from disappointed with her week in Dubai.

“I was trying to turn it around, but even if I won the second set, I don’t know if I would have won the whole match,” she said. “It would still have been hard because she doesn’t give up on any point. She runs really, really well, and it’s hard to kill the ball against her. She really gets everything back.

“I lost, so I’m not really happy right now, but obviously I’m happy for the week and for the last two or three weeks I had. I had so many matches here and beat great players – I’m not disappointed.”

While Rafael Nadal continuously informed fans and media that he is yet to regain his top form following a plague of injuries last season, the truth behind his words dimmed away as he continued to perform at the 2015 Rio Open.

Nadal earned several straight set wins, and rallied back from his most recent victory over Pablo Cuevas to reach the semi-final stage of the tournament. However, that was not enough to stop the stunning result that would take place on Saturday evening in the Brazilian city, as Italian No. 1 Fabio Fognini overturned a 0-4 losing record to Nadal in the head-to-head series to defeat the world No. 3 in three sets.

Fognini rallied back from a set down to defeat the Spaniard 1-6, 6-2, 7-5, thus putting an end to Nadal’s remarkable 52-match win streak in ATP World Tour level semi-finals on clay.

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According to the ATP World Tour, it was Nadal’s 25th loss on the red surface.

“I’m really happy about this match,” said Fognini. “I beat the best player on this surface.

“Rafa is always difficult. From the second set I played really well, and I tried to change a little bit to be more positive on court.”

Fognini is now through to his ninth ATP final after picking up his first ever Top 5 win. He is set to face Ferrer in the final.

“Right now I’m thinking in the now; that I’ve beaten Rafa,” said Fognini. “I’m super happy, and obviously tomorrow I will have to battle David, who has always beaten me… I will obviously be happy if I win. If I lose, I will also leave with the good memories from this week in Rio.”

Friday’s matches at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships featured two grueling semi-final contest, and the winners that crossed the finish line did so in impressive fashion. Now, top seed Simona Halep and rising star Karolina Pliskova will meet for the first time in the final of the UAE-based tournament to determine who will lift the crown in 2015.

Watch the final match live here: Halep v Pliskova Live Stream

Halep didn’t look her best at the start of her match against Caroline Wozniacki, but eventually found herself during the second set, and applied the necessary pressure to close out the contest in the decider. Halep hit 58% of her first service points and saved five break points to defeat the Dane 2-6, 6-1, 6-1.

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“When I started the match I started with bad tactics – I was just hitting every ball and I made too many mistakes. I couldn’t find my rhythm,” Halep said afterwards. “In the second set I knew I had to change it and just play with good length and open the court more. I knew I couldn’t force it too much like I did in the first set. That worked very well for me, and I just kept doing it until the end of the match.”

Earlier in the day, Pliskova managed to survive a difficult battle against fellow rising talent Garbine Muguruza, whom she eventually edged with a lone break in the Spaniard’s final service game. The match was dominated by serves, and ended 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 in just under three hours of court time.

“I feel amazing, I really didn’t expect to get to the final here,” Pliskova said. “We both have great serves, so it’s always going to be tough to break, even if you have 0-30 or 0-40, it doesn’t mean anything until you get that final point. I put everything into my serve to get that final game.”

This is the first time that these two competitors will cross paths on the professional tour, and given their respective weeks on the tour, it will likely be an entertaining affair that will dazzle the fans in attendance. Pliskova is in her second final of the season and will be looking to lift the title and shoot up to No. 11 in the rankings. However, she will come up against a tough, durable opponent who will make her work for the victory.

Prediction: Simona Halep in Three Sets

Following an interesting night in Rio de Janeiro, top seed and undefeated champion Rafael Nadal will contest a semi-final match-up against Fabio Fognini – one that will bring him one step closer to defending the clay court title. Nadal remains undefeated against Fognini, as he holds a 4-0 head to head record against the Italian, including a recent win at the Miami Masters in 2014.

Follow the SF match live here: Nadal vs Fognini Live Stream

Undoubtedly the most surprising moment of the day was when Cuevas found himself a set up against the ‘King of Clay,’ and in the running for a big upset victory. However, Nadal weathered the storm and eventually found his opportunity to pounce and force a deciding set. There, he took complete control and bageled Cuevas en route to a 4-6, 7-5, 6-0 win at nearly 3am local time.

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“It was a complicated time at the beginning, but in the second set I felt better. I felt better control in the match even though I could not break him until 6-5. I’m happy because this was an important victory for me, to be able to be in a semi-final. It’s a great result, it gives me points, confidence and the opportunity to play tomorrow. I hope I’m recovered.”

Italian No. 1 Fabio Fognini took part in a contest that lasted well over three hours to advance to the semi-final round of the Rio Open. He defeated Federico Delbonis 6-4, 6-7(10), 7-6(9) in a tight match that featured many enthralling match points before he eventually clinched it on the ninth attempt.

“It’s always a tough match against Federico, and this was a crazy match,” he said. “Now I’m happy, and all I want to do is rest well.”

This marks the fifth time that these two competitors will cross paths on the professional tour, with Nadal leading the series with an undefeated 4-0 record. Fognini has only ever won one set against the Spaniard, and that was on hard court. Nadal is a far different beat on clay and should win the contest in straight sets.

Prediction: Rafael Nadal in Straight Sets

Following an easy opening match on clay this season, world No. 3 Rafael Nadal was handed a difficult match-up in the second round of the Rio Open on Thursday, but eventually got past it to set up a contest against Pablo Cuevas. Their quarter-final match-up on the red clay in the Brazilian city will be their first ever career meeting, and could make for another interesting contest for the fans in attendance.

Follow the match live here: Nadal v Cuevas Live Stream

The top seed worked a little harder to reach the quarter-final round of the tournament, as he defeated Pablo Carreno Busta 7-5, 6-3 to advance. It was the first time the two contested a match, and they entertained the crowd with an enthralling 1 hour and 13 minutes opening set of action. Eventually, Nadal hit 22 winners to close out the match in 2 hours and 2 minutes.

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Following a third title win last week at the Brasil Open, Pablo Cuevas continued his fantastic streak of wins as he defeated Spain’s Albert Montanes to reach the quarter-final round in Rio. He defeated his opponent 6-2, 6-2 in 1 hour and 9 minutes.

“Montanes is a great player on this surface; the famous ‘Old Fox’,” said Cuevas, who levelled the FedEx ATP Head2Head series against the Spaniard, 3-3. “He definitely was a difficult opponent. I am confident. I was able to play the same as I’ve been doing for the last days, and I was able to prevail in the match. I am happy.

“If my rival is Nadal, it is going to be the first time I face him,” he said. “I am in a good moment. I will try to enjoy the match and continue to play the same as I been doing and I wish I can continue with the streak.”

This is set to be the first career meeting between Rafael Nadal and Pablo Vuevas, and could make for another entertaining match. However, it is unlikely that the sixth seed will find a way to snatch a set off Nadal, who will only continue to improve as the week goes on.

Prediction: Rafael Nadal in Straight Sets

Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki took part in very different matches in the quarter-final stage of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, and yet they both arrived in at the final four, and will meet for a spot in the final on Friday afternoon. This is just the third time that the two top competitors will cross paths on the professional tour with the Wozniacki v Halep Head-to-Head series standing at 1-1.

Follow the match live here: Wozniacki vs Halep Live Stream

Top seed Simona Halep stepped on court for the night session in Dubai and ended up avenging her Aussie Open loss to Ekaterina Makarova to reach the semi-final stage of the tournament. It was an odd, turbulent match of sorts, and saw Halep win in rollercoaster fashion 6-3, 1-6, 7-5. Even the ending of the contest was surprising, as Halep missed her first four match points before closing it out on her fifth attempt.

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“There were ups and downs tonight. It wasn’t easy to be in control the whole match because she’s a good player,” Halep said. “I played really well in the first set, but then in the second set she started to hit stronger, and I think I was one step further behind the baseline, which wasn’t good for me.

“But I just tried to relax and go forward in the court more and take the ball faster, and I’m really happy it ended up being a good match for me. It means a lot, because I need more matches now.”

Unlike her upcoming opponent, Caroline Wozniacki had little trouble dispatching Italy’s Flavia Pennetta in straight sets to arrive in the semi-final in Dubai. She managed 71% of her first service points, 13 winners, and converted six break points to earn the lopsided 7-5, 6-0 victory in 1 hour and 32 minutes.

Halep and Wozniacki will face off in a rubber match to determine who will take the lead in their head-to-head series. Wozniacki won their first meeting at this event three years ago, while Halep avenged that loss in New Haven in 2013.

Prediction: Caroline Wozniacki in Three Sets

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships brought some surprising results on Wednesday afternoon as four of the tournaments notable competitors crashed out of the event to open up the draw for those remaining. Petra Kvitova, Agnieszka Radwanska, Ana Ivanovic, and Venus Williams were all prevented from reaching the quarter-final stage of the tournament.

The biggest upset of the day took place on Centre Court when 13th seed Carla Suarez Navarro upset two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova to reach the final eight in Dubai. She defeated the No. 2 seed 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

“Carla plays different from the other girls – the backhand slice, she can play at the net, from the forehand she can put topspin,” Kvitova said. “She has a lot of variety in her game. She’s not the only one playing like this, but I lost twice already against her, so I hope next time will be better.”

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Three-time champion Venus Williams lost in straight sets to No. 11 seed Lucie Safarova 6-4, 6-2. The temperature clearly did not benefit the former world No. 1.

”I think she played awesome,” Williams said. ”There were a couple of games there that I didn’t even get my racket on the ball. What can I say to that?”

Another surprisingly lopsided upset was Radwanska’s straight sets exit to Garbine Muguruza. She lost to the Spaniard 6-4, 6-2.

”I think when you’re not playing your best tennis then it’s hard to compete with those kind of players,” Radwanska said. ”I think I didn’t serve well enough to win that.”

Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki remain as the top seeds in the draw.