Dubai Open 2020 quarterfinals: Djokovic, Monfils, Tsitsipas and Rublev look to set up blockbuster final weekend

Novak Djokovic has lived up to his top billing at the 2020 Dubai Open, marking his first appearance at the tournament in four years by moving into the quarterfinals without dropping a set. In the process, the reigning Australian Open champion has extended his perfect start to the season to 15-0.

Elsewhere, Gael Monfils has extended his winning streak to a personal best 11, following his back-to-back title runs in Montpellier and Rotterdam. Second seed Stefanos Tsitsipas has also won two matches on the bounce, following the first successful title defence of his career last week in Marseille.

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The Dubai Open

Another player who has made a fine start to the 2020 season is young Russian Andrey Rublev. The Russian won 11 matches to start the new year before losing to Alexander Zverev in the fourth round of the Australian Open.

The first player in 15 years to win multiple titles before the first Grand Slam of the tennis calendar, Rublev, along with Djokovic and Monfils, are the early match win leaders in the 2020 ATP season.

On that note, let us have a preview of the four quarterfinals at the 2020 Dubai Open.

#1 (x1) Novak Djokovic vs (x7) Karen Khachanov

Djokovic (left) vs Khachanov

Karen Khachanov beat Mikhail Kukushkin and Denis Novak without dropping a set to reach his first quarterfinal at the tournament - where he will face four-time former champion and top seed Novak Djokovic.

Djokovic is making his first appearance in Dubai since a quarterfinal defeat to Feliciano Lopez in 2016. Following straight-sets wins over Malek Jaziri and Philipp Kohlschreiber, the World No. 1 has reached his 11th quarterfinal at the tournament (7-2 record, 1 walkover).

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Either side of losing in the final of the 2018 Paris-Bercy Masters, Djokovic beat Khachanov in the fourth round at 2018 Wimbledon and in the 2019 Davis Cup in Madrid last season. The powerful Russian has the game to take the racquet out of the hands of the best returner in the game, but whether he would have the consistency to do an encore of his 2018 Paris-Bercy acts remains to be seen.

A defeat to Khachanov would open the door for Rafael Nadal to reclaim the No. 1 ranking, if the Spaniard goes all the way in Acapulco this week.

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#2 (x3) Gael Monfils vs Richard Gasquet

Monfils (left) will face Gasquet for the 18th time

2020 ATP match wins leader Gael Monfils (15-2) is riding a personal-best 11-match win streak following consecutive title runs in Montpellier and Rotterdam coupled with two wins to reach the Dubai quarterfinals.

For a place in the last 4, Monfils will lock horns with compatriot Richard Gasquet in an all-French affair. Monfils leads the pair's head to head 10-7 and has won 3 of their last 4 meetings, but on hardcourt, Monfils and Gasquet have split their 12 meetings.

In his third Dubai quarterfinal, Monfils would seek a return to the semifinals for the second time in as many years. Meanwhile Gasquet would look to reach the last four for the first time since 2011 (lost to Federer in the semifinals).

While there is very little to choose between the two players, Monfils' recent form gives him a slight edge over his compatriot.

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#3 (x3) Andrey Rublev vs Dan Evans

Dubai Duty Free Tennis - Day Ten

One of three players to reach the 15-win mark in the 2020 ATP season, Andrey Rublev saw off Lorenzo Musetti and Filip Krajinovic in straight sets to reach the quarterfinals in his first Dubai appearance.

For a place in the semifinals, Rublev will lock horns with Dan Evans, who has reached the last eight in Dubai on his second tournament appearance. In the pair's only previous meeting on tour, Rublev beat Evans in the 2020 Adelaide quarterfinals.

Evans needed three sets in both of his first two matches here. He recovered from a set and a break down to see off Fabio Fognini, before saving multiple match points to get past Frenchman Pierre Hugues Herbert in the second round.

On current form and freshness, Rublev would start as the marginal favourite.

#4 Jan-Lennard Struff vs (x2) Stefanos Tsitsipas

Dubai Duty Free Tennis - Day Ten

2019 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas would look to return to the Dubai semifinals when he takes on big-hitting German Jan-Lennard Struff.

Tsitsipas arrived in Dubai after a successful title defence in Marseille last week. The young Greek has displayed little signs of exertion from his recent exploits, seeing off Pablo Carreno Busta and Alexander Bublik in straight sets to reach the quarterfinals.

Struff has had an even less strenous route to the last eight, taking out 2018 winner Roberto Bautista Agut in straight sets before beating Nikoloz Basilashvili for the loss of a solitary game in the second round.

Struff has won two of the pair's three meetings on tour (all in 2019). He would fancy his chances of upsetting the second seed to reach his first Dubai semifinal in his third appearance at the tournament.

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