Doha, Feb 18 Fernando Verdasco may be preparing for his retirement, but the Spaniard is showing he's still got plenty of firepower left in his game. Partnering with Novak Djokovic at the Qatar Open, the pair produced a dominant display in their doubles match on Monday, breezing past Alexander Bublik and Karen Khachanov 6-1, 6-1 in just 48 minutes to reach the second round.
Verdasco, who will retire at the end of this ATP 500 event, is relishing his final tournament, especially sharing the court with Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion. The duo was clearly enjoying themselves, celebrating with chest bumps early in the match and showing off excellent teamwork.
Their chemistry was evident as they broke serve four times from nine opportunities and saved the one breakpoint they faced as per ATP stats.
“I have to say, maybe after this match, I shouldn’t play the second round. I should just go and retire by winning 6-1, 6-1. It’s the best feeling ever, thank you so much for coming today, and see you on Wednesday,” said Verdasco.
The match was a showcase of Verdasco’s doubles expertise, with his sharp net play and powerful left-handed forehands still causing trouble for Bublik and Khachanov. Verdasco, a former No. 7 in the ATP rankings, was also a doubles champion at the 2013 Nitto ATP Finals, and his experience shone through in the match.
Looking ahead, Verdasco and Djokovic will face the second seeds, Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara, in what promises to be a challenging contest. Patten and Heliovaara are the reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champions, making it an exciting matchup for the veteran Verdasco as he bids farewell to the ATP Tour.
In the men’s singles, the 21-year-old Alcaraz will make his debut in Doha where he will be the top seed. Alcaraz, who faces Marin Cilic on Monday, holds a 9-1 record this season, including a run to the Australian Open quarterfinals and his first indoor title in Rotterdam.
Pitted in the same half of the draw in Doha, Alcaraz would have the possibility to avenge his loss to Djokovic in Melbourne if the two reach the semifinals.
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