Davydenko Reaches Doha Second Round

© QTF/Paul ZimmerNikolay Davydenko won his Doha opener on Monday.

Russian Nikolay Davydenko, the 2010 champion and 2011 runner-up, remained perfect against Victor Hanescu on Monday improving to 4-0 against the Romanian with a 6-2, 6-3 win in 75 minutes at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open.

World No. 44 Davydenko shared that he is looking to find the form that carried him to a career-high No. 3 ranking, after seeing his nine-year title streak come to an end in 2012. 

"Last season, I told everyone from my family and my brother, 'I will push myself,'" said the 31 year old. "I want to again. I want to try [this] season to play again and practise concentration, try to do [what] I can, because I'm already not so young. Maybe I have two more years, maybe one more year."

German Philipp Kohlschreiber, the No. 3 seed and a two-time Doha quarter-finalist, advanced to the second round by defeating Croatian Ivan Dodig 7-6(5), 6-1. He will face the winner between two-time finalist Gael Monfils and wild card Mousa Shanan Zayed for a place in the quarter-finals.

"I think we were both a little bit rusty, but overall I’m very happy," said Kohlschreiber. "It’s the first match, you have to feel what’s going on. It was very important to win the first set. It was quite late and everyone wants to celebrate the New Year, but I’m very happy with the victory."

Sixth seed Viktor Troicki closed out a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 win over German Bjorn Phau in one hour and 44 minutes with two breaks of serve. The Serbian has reached the quarter-finals or better in his past three visits to Doha, highlighted by a semi-final showing in 2010 (l. to Nadal).

Two Italians, Simone Bolelli and Paolo Lorenzi, also got their 2013 ATP World Tour seasons off to a winning start with victories over Spaniards. Bolelli withstood 13 aces to beat Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-3, 6-7(3), 7-6(2) and Lorenzi defeated Albert Ramos 7-6(4), 6-1. Fabio Fognini was unable to join his countrymen in the second round, falling to Slovenian Grega Zemlja 6-2, 3-6, 6-4.

Tobias Kamke, Daniel Brands, Dustin Brown and Jan Hernych all qualified for the main draw at the ATP World Tour 250 hard-court tennis tournament.

Buy Tickets | Official Website