Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut in action against Hungary's Marton Fucsovics during their Qatar ExxonMobil Open Round of 32 match played at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex, yesterday. Pictures. Salim Matramkot/The Peninsula
Defending champion Roberto Bautista Agut yesterday prevailed over Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics 7-6 (7), 5-7, 6-4 to advance to the second round of Qatar ExxonMobil Open after what was the longest match of the tournament so far.
“Well, today I had to play very good. Martin is a very good player. He also likes to play in Doha. It was a really good fight, and I’m very happy I could go through it,” two-time champion Bautista Agut, who fired three aces against six by Fucsovics, said after the match which went past midnight at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex in Doha.
The World No.28 will meet Australian Christopher O’Connell, who defeated wild card entrant Fernando Verdasco in the first round.
“Now I want to be focused. I want to be good for tomorrow. I need to recover well. Today was a long match,” Bautista Agut said after the 3 hour 7 minute thriller at the Centre Court.
Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori hits a return against Daniel Evans of Great Britain during their match yesterday.
“It’s been great for me to play here in Doha. I feel the support of the crowd always. And thanks for staying until the last point,” the Spaniard thanked the spectators after the marathon three-setter.
Earlier, Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori made use of his clean hits to stun sixth seed Daniel Evans 7-5, 6-4.
“I’m very happy. I really enjoyed being on court, I thought I was improving every game and just playing better and better tennis. He was giving me a tough time, he’s a great player, and I’m just very, very happy to get through this match,” Ruusuvuori said after the match.
“He’s a tricky player. He plays a little bit different than the most of the guys in the top 50 or hundred,” the World No.51 said after their maiden face-off.
“And they have great slides, great tactics. And I just need to kind of figure out the way and serve well and put the pressure on him. And then yeah, in the end I was able to get the win,” Ruusuvuori, who clinched the win in one hour and 53 minutes, said.
Ruusuvuori will face Czech Jiri Lehecka, who yesterday beat Bosnian qualifier Damir Dzumhur 6-3, 7-6 (3) next for a place in the quarter-finals.
Later, Ruusuvuori will team up with his compatriot Patrik Niklas-Salminen to take on Dutch pair Tallon Griekspoor and Bart Stevens in the doubles quarter-final.
The Finland pair defeated Wimbledon finalists Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic of Croatia 6-2, 7-6(5) on Monday night.
“We played a good match. No doubt. And yeah, also Patrick has been improving so much and me too. I played a great doubles in Davis Cup and yeah, we just had fun and we were able to take the win,” said Ruusuvuori.
Earlier, Dutchmen Botic van de Zandschulp and Tallon Griekspoor also advanced in Doha.
The 27-year-old Van de Zandschulp, seeded eighth, converted five of nine break points during his 6-2, 7-5 win against Russian Ilya Ivashka to book a quarter-final meeting against the Alexandre Muller who shocked 2021 Doha champion Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia 7-6 (3), 6-7 (8), 6-4.
Meanwhile, World No. 40 Griekspoor beat Quentin Halys 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(5) in another three-set thriller in the Qatari capital last evening.
