Fernando Verdasco of Spain in action during his match against compatriot Pablo Andujar yesterday. Picture: Salim Matramkot/ The Peninsula
Fernando Verdasco yesterday produced a straight-set win by seeing off fellow Spaniard Pablo Andujar on day one of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open.
Verdasco, based in Doha since 2016, won 6-4, 6-3 in one hour 29 minutes on the Centre Court.
In another match yesterday, Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik stunned seventh seed Adrian Mannarino of Italy. Bublik, ranked 55, won 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 10 minutes.
Bublik, just 22, fired 9 aces - 7 in the first set - to complete his resounding win on Center Court as the Kazakh player won the first ever clash between the two players.
Also yesterday, French qualifier Corentin Moutet beat American Tennys Sandgren 7-6 (3), 6-4 in one hour and 47 minutes.
In the day’s most-sought after match, Verdasco yesterday hit the ground running on his ‘home turf’ as the 36-year-old reached the second round with a solid show.
It was Verdasco’s first win against Andujar on a hardcourt, having posted two wins on grass and clay previously. It was Verdasco’s 10th win in Doha.
“Yeah, of course, it is a good way to start the season,” Verdasco said yesterday.
“It was a tough match against a player that I know well. So it’s (such matches are) always a little bit more tricky than the rest of the matches,” he added.
Verdasco fired 6 aces in the match to just 2 by Andujar who trails the senior pro 3-2 in overall head-to-head meetings.
Verdasco broke Andujar in the 10th game to take the first set at 6-4. In the second set, the veteran Spanish tennis player broke his compatriot in game 9 to take the second on his own serve at 6-3.
“Obviously being the first match of the year, you always kind of put yourself in a little bit more of pressure than usual. You are always a little bit more tight and nervous in a match,” Verdasco said.
“But, at the end, also (this match) motivated (me) and I came out with a lot of energy coming from a pre-season that I work very hard at,” Verdasco said.
“I knew that I was going to be getting better or worse, but I was going to be giving my best and trying my best and fighting the whole match. So I think that was the most important thing,” the Spaniard said.
“With the match now over, the way that I played, I’m happy of the way that I played. I still think that I can play a little bit better. I will be trying to fixing kind of few things that I can do a little bit better (in the next round). But in general, I’m happy of the way that I played the whole match,” Verdasco said.
When asked if he would choose to play the ATP Cup - that has clashed with dates of Qatar ExxonMobil Open - Verdasco said: “....actually, for me, it’s a shame that they put it in the same week as Doha because I will always choose Doha between this and the ATP Cup. I would love to play, but I will always choose Doha. I think if the week is the same then I will never play the ATP Cup.”
The first-round matches continue today.
FERNANDO Verdasco in 2019
Age: 36, World No. 49, 26-27 in 2019 (4 QFs), 10-7 at Doha (2017 SF)
Earned 20+ wins in 16 straight seasons (2004-19). Tied with Nadal for 2nd-longest active streak (Federer 20).
Reached QFs at Sofia (lost to Berrettini), ATP Masters 1000 Rome (lost to Nadal), Eastbourne (lost to Querrey) and Kitzbuhel (lost to Sonego). Played 6 sets in 4 hrs, 54 mins on 16 May at Rome (beat Thiem in 2R and Khachanov in 3R).
Earned 6th career win from 2 sets down in Wimbledon 2R (beat Edmund, lost to Goffin in 4R).
Suffered 5th loss from 2 sets up in Australian Open 3R (lost to Cilic after holding 2 MPs) and 6th loss from 2 sets up in
US Open 2R (lost to Chung after holding 1 MP).
Played at 66 straight Grand Slams -- 2nd-longest streak of all-time behind Lopez’ active streak of 71.
Saved 3 MPs vs. Gerasimov in Marseille 1R (lost to Bachinger in 2R).
Did not play at ATP Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami while awaiting birth of son, Miguel, on March 26.
