DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Andrey Rublev, who recently claimed the Qatar Open, experienced a surprising exit from the Dubai Championships in the opening round. The third seed was defeated by qualifier Quentin Halys, with the match concluding in a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) scoreline on Tuesday.
For Halys, ranked 77th, this match marked a milestone as he secured his first win against a top-10 player. Up next, he is set to compete against Roberto Bautista Agut. Reflecting on his victory, the 28-year-old Frenchman expressed astonishment. “At the moment, it’s a bit hard to comprehend,” he shared. “Mentally, it was a very difficult match. Andrey might be fatigued from his week in Doha. Beating a top-10 opponent is a significant moment in your career. I’m happy it happened today.”
Rublev, ranked ninth, was the Dubai titleholder in 2022 and recently triumphed over Jack Draper to earn the Qatar Open title last Saturday.
On the same day, top-seeded Daniil Medvedev defeated Jan-Lennard Struff, securing a 6-4, 7-6 (4) win and will advance to face Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Meanwhile, Alex de Minaur, the second seed, was overcome by 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic, ending the match 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Additionally, Nuno Borges caused an upset by eliminating eighth seed Arthur Fils with a decisive 6-2, 6-1 victory.
The tournament on Tuesday saw successes for several other players, including the fifth-seeded Ugo Humbert and his compatriots Matteo Berrettini and Felix Auger-Aliassime, as well as qualifier Christopher O’Connell, who all proceeded to the next rounds.
