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The first day of the 2023 Qatar Open in Doha on Monday (February 20) will have five first-round matches, featuring one seed, two qualifiers and as many wildcards.
The 31st edition of the ATP 250 event will have World No. 5 Andrey Rublev and World No. 8 Felix Auger-Aliassime. World No. 11 Daniil Medvedev and World No. 17 Alexander Zverev will complete the event's top four seeds. All four players have received first-round byes.
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So, without further ado, here's a look at how the five first-round matches at the Qatar Open on Monday could pan out:
Spoiler Alert: All five contests are first-time matchups.
#1 Aslan Karatsev vs Jason Kubler
Aslan Karatsev will open his Qatar Open campaign against Australian Jason Kubler on Monday.
The 98th-ranked Karatsev is 3-4 on the season, coming off a first-round exit at the ATP 500 Rotterdam Open last week. Meanwhile, World No. 79 Kubler has won four of his six matches in 2023, so expect him to take this one.
Prediction: Kubler in three sets
#2 Fernando Verdasco vs Christopher O'Connell
Wildcard Fernando Verdasco will look for his first win in 2023 when he takes on Australia's Christopher O'Connell.
The 113th-ranked Verdasco is 0-2 on the season after losing in the first round at Delray Beach last week. Meanwhile, World No. 96 O'Connell hasn't fared too well himself, going winless in three matches in 2023.
Verdasco should prevail here and get off the mark for the season.
Prediction: Verdasco in straight sets
#3 Lorenzo Sonego vs Andy Murray (Two-time Qatar Open winner)
Lorenzo Sonego takes on wildcard Andy Murray in the Qatar Open first round on Monday.
World No. 60 Sonego dropped to 3-5 on the season after stumbling in his Rotterdam opener last week. Meanwhile, the 70th-ranked Murray - 2-2 in 2023 - is returning to action after the Australian Open.
The 2008-08 winner should beat his younger Italian opponent.
Prediction: Murray in three sets
#4 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs Constant Lestienne
Seventh seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will open his campaign for his first title of the season against Frenchman Constant Lestienne.
World No. 31 Davidovich Fokina is 4-4 on the season after losing in the Rotterdam first round last week. Meanwhile, the 54th-ranked Lestienne also shares the same season record after stumbling in the opening round of the same tournament.
The higher-ranked Spaniard should take this one.
Prediction: Davidovich Fokina in straight sets
#5 Oleksii Krutykh vs Liam Broady
In an all-qualifier first-round clash, Oleksii Krutykh will take on Briton Liam Broady on Monday.
The 169th-ranked Krutykh lost his only match of the season at the Australian Open last month. Meanwhile, World No. 140 Broady will make his season debut against Krutykh.
Coming off a win in the Vilnius Challenger earlier this month, Broady should prevail.
Prediction: Broady in straight sets
