World No. 6 Daniil Medvedev fought back to defeat defending champion Karen Khachanov 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in the second round of the ATP Qatar Open 2025. The victory marked Medvedev’s first win over a top-30 player this season, as he aims to reclaim his form.
Medvedev’s Hard-Fought Victory
The former world No. 1 struggled early, failing to break Khachanov’s serve until the 12th game of the second set. However, once he secured that crucial break, Medvedev shifted momentum, dominating the decider to claim victory in two hours and 30 minutes.
Medvedev, who last won a title at the 2023 Rome Masters, had a disappointing Australian Open 2025 campaign, losing in the second round to American teenager Learner Tien. His win in Qatar now fuels hopes of a stronger season ahead.
Other Notable Matches
- Andrey Rublev, the 2022 Qatar Open champion, secured a straight-sets win over Alexander Bublik (6-3, 6-4).
- Alex de Minaur, celebrating his birthday, overcame Russian Roman Safiullin (6-1, 7-5) despite challenging weather conditions.
- Novak Djokovic made his much-anticipated return against Matteo Berrettini following his Australian Open semifinal injury.
Djokovic Confirms Murray as Coach
Ahead of his evening match, Djokovic revealed that Andy Murray would continue as his coach indefinitely.
“I expressed my desire to continue working with him, and I’m really glad he accepted,” Djokovic said.
