Basilashvili to defend Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2022

Nikoloz Basilashvili

Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili will be defending his Qatar ExxonMobil Open title at this year’s ATP World Tour 250 series tournament which will take place from February 14-19 in Doha. The tournament, to be held at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, the traditional home of tennis in Qatar, will feature three former champions. With ten days to go, the rank of superstars on the cards includes, two-time champion Andy Murray (2007, 08) and 2018 winner Gael Monfils, and last year’s runner-up and 2019 winner Roberto Bautista Agut. The list also includes World No 12 Denis Shapovalov, and World No 27 Karen Khachanov. Last year, Basilashvili defeated Bautista Agut 7-6(5), 6-2 to clinch his fourth ATP Tour title. Among the former champions, who are vying for another title in Doha is Monfils. The Frenchman won his first title in 2018 after defeating Russia’s Andrey Rublev in a one-sided final, 6-2, 6-3 and became the first wildcard to win in Doha since compatriot Nicolas Escude triumphed back in 2004. The 35-year–old had featured in three previous finals in 2006, 2012 and 2014 but had finished on the losing side until he attained success in 2018. For the ever-popular Frenchman the start to 2022 has been a feel-good affair having made a strong start to the season. He claimed his 11th ATP Tour title in Adelaide and is now 8-2 on the year with all the eight victories having come in straight sets. The World No 20 reached his 10th Grand Slam quarter-final at the Australian Open but then lost to Matteo Berrettini in five sets. Briton Murray, who has been on and off the tour with various injuries since having hip resurfacing surgery in 2019, will be eyeing his third title in Qatar having won his last title 12 years back. The Brit, now ranked 102 on the ATP ranking calendar, has had a mixed season so far. At the Australian Open he lost to Japan’s Taro Daniel 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to the No 120-ranked qualifier in the second-round tie. The four-time Grand Slam champion also reached the final of the Sydney Tennis Classic losing to Karatsev and battled through a three-hour, 52 minute five-set epic with Basilashvili in the first round in Melbourne to reach the next round. Last year’s winner Basilashvili will be aiming to continue his momentum from last season, when he won titles in Doha and Munich and reached his maiden ATP Masters 1000 final in Indian Wells. Among the other former champions, Bautista Agut’s nine career singles titles, one of them has come in Doha and the No 17 player in the ATP Rankings will be keen to add one more in Doha. The former champions’ pursuit for top honors’ will be challenged by Shapovalov of Canada and Russia’s Khachanov, the Tokyo Olympics silver medallist. The Canadian gave a spirited quarter-final performance in Melbourne against eventual winner Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open and will be all pumped up to win his first title in Doha and add to his lone career title. Besides Murray, two other players have been given wildcards for the event. World No 26 Marin Cilic 26 who reached the fourth round of the Australian Open along with Tunisian seed Malek Jaziri are the wildcards of the event.