Doha, Qatar (SportsNetwork.com) – World No. 1 star Novak Djokovic cruised
into the second round at the season-opening $1.22 million Qatar Open on
Tuesday.
The top-seeded Wimbledon champ drilled fellow Serb Dusan Lajovic 6-2, 6-1 in
59 minutes on the hardcourts at Khalifa International Tennis Complex.
Up next for the Djokovic will be Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky.
In other action involving seeds, No. 3 Tomas Berdych topped Uzbekistan’s Denis
Istomin 6-1, 6-4 and Italian Andreas Seppi upended No. 8 Leonardo Mayer
5-7, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4).
Also on Day 2, Stakhovsky whipped wild card Jabor Mohammed Ali Mutawa
of Qatar 6-1, 6-1, Slovenian qualifier Blaz Kavcic beat Argentine Juan Monaco
7-6 (7-3), 6-4 and Georgian qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili surprised Russian
Mikhail Youzhny 7-5, 6-2.
Doha serves as a tune-up for the Australian Open.
