Defending champion Stan Wawrinka was upset by Damir Dzumhur 7-6 (4), 6-3 in the first round of the Dubai Tennis Championships on Tuesday.
This was No. 3-ranked Wawrinka's first match since his Australian Open semifinal loss to Swiss countryman Roger Federer. He left Melbourne with a right knee injury and began regular practices only a week ago. Wawrinka said his knee was fine, but suggested he needed more matches to get up to speed.
Wawrinka raced to a 4-1 lead. But that was also the point when Wawrinka slowed down and showed signs of becoming tentative, and allowed the Bosnian into the match. In the tiebreaker, Dzumhur went 5-2 up, which was more than enough to secure the first set.
Dzumhur bolted to 5-1 in the second set, but became nervous when serving for the match. In the 10-point seventh game, Dzumhur lost the third break point he faced. He kept his composure when serving for the match two games later, setting up match point with a forehand cross-court volley, and watched Wawrinka sail a forehand long.
Rroger’s 1st win since OZ Open
Back on court, Roger Federer won his first match since claiming his 18th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.
The third-seeded Federer beat Benoit Paire 6-1, 6-3 on Monday to move into the second round of the Dubai Tennis Championships. Federer, a seven-time Dubai champion who holds a 48-5 record in 13 appearances, missed last year's tournament with a knee injury.