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NO SPOILERS 🎥

If you don't want to see the results yet, and want to catch up with the highlights first, stop scrolling now. (If these links have been taken down, tap the ‘view in browser’ button at the top of this email and there should be updated links):

Federer 🎥 Kohlschreiber

Basilashvili 🎥 Khachanov

Raonic 🎥 Struff

RESULTS 🎾

💥 = Beatdown \\ 🤕 = Injury \\ ‼️ = Upset

DUBAI 🇦🇪

(ATP 500 - Hard)

Federer d Kohlschreiber: 6-4, 3-6, 6-1

A tidy first set from Federer, who started the match looking like he was experiencing little signs of rust, after a month without competitive play. Kohlschreiber helped Federer out by missing a wild forehand to go down the early break, but the real damage had been done a few points earlier by Federer’s bigger and better groundstrokes attacking Kohlschreiber’s backhand corner. Fed finished the set with 64% first serves in and won 17/18 of those points, dominating his service games with relatives ease apart from a few wind-related double faults. A brilliant backhand down the line (GIF below), while facing some fleeting pressure on serve at 30-30 & 5*-4, ensured the Swiss took the opening set.

— Considering how strong the wind was at this point, this was a ridiculous backhand to go for, and make.

But Kohlschreiber fought back impressively as the 2nd set got underway, with a clever forehand slice drawing an error from Federer to give the German an early break lead in the 2nd set:

— Kohli only played this slice forehand because he slipped, but it was executed perfectly and bamboozled Federer sufficiently to coax the error.

Federer broke back to level the 2nd set, after a wild Kohlschrieber forehand, but was then broken once again after an enormous Kohlschreiber return. All of a sudden Federer was really struggling to win points on serve, and despite landing 87% of his 1st serves in after 6 games, the Swiss had won just 6/13 of those points. The wind was swirling and the court wasn’t playing quite as quick as it had earlier in the day. The Federer rust had appeared, and despite Kohlschreiber trying his absolute best to donate serve while serving for the set (in a 9 minute game with two double faults, a smashed racquet and almost no 1st serves in), the German managed to take us to a deciding set.

Federer went up an immediate break of serve in the 3rd set (despite shanking multiple 2nd serve returns) and started to look much more comfortable on serve once again, opening up a 3-0 lead. The double break soon came as well, courtesy of a missed Kohlschreiber volley (and a continued struggle to land 1st serves), with Federer cruising to a routine 3rd set, 6-1. Overall, some good signs from Fed for parts of sets 1 & 3, with some awful stuff rearing its ugly head during much of the 2nd set (the wind should explain some, but not all, of it). A bit of rust was to be expected though, and the Swiss’s serve, his most important shot these days, recovered nicely by the deciding set (13/15 1st serve points won & 3/3 2nd serve points won). The backhand shanks will probably be a slight concern, but the Federer forehand looked good all match.

Basilashvili d Khachanov: 6-4, 6-1

Third opening round loss in a row for Khachanov. The Russian has been dealing with a viral illness for the past few weeks, and also looks to be flip-flopping between Wilson and Head racquets (reverting to a blacked out frame today which looks like his 2018 Wilson). However Dubai was always going to be a bit faster than Khachanov prefers conditions wise, struggling whenever Basilashvili managed to find his backhand with some pace (GIF below), and generally missing first on many of the bigger points.

Basilashvili didn’t land too many first serves (46%) in quite swirly conditions, but when he did, Khachanov couldn’t get anything on the returns (Basilashvili won 23/27 1st serve points). A couple of break point opportunities in the first set for Khachanov were the only chances he had to grab the initiative in the match, and after Basilashvili saved both of them, the momentum swung, and then stayed, in Basil’s favour.

— Analysis of Khachanov’s backhand in ‘Extra’s section below.

Also:

Verdasco d Fabbiano: 3-6, 6-3, 6-2

Horror show of a first set from Verdasco, who was wildly spraying errors for the first half an hour of the match. Better 2nd and 3rd sets from the Spaniard, although he still won just 4/18(!) 2nd serve points in the final two sets. Plays Federer next.

Struff d Raonic : 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 ‼️

Fucsovics d Dzumhur : 6-1, 7-6(5)

Bautista Agut d Ramanathan: 6-4, 6-3

INTERVIEW/PRESSER BEST BITS 🎙

Nishikori and Federer on the court speed in Dubai:

Federer: “Court is slower than previous years.” Source Nishikori: “Courts are medium slow but the balls are flying.” Source

(Matt: The court was measured at 34 on the CPI during last weeks WTA event, and they’d usually be a bit faster than that after a week of play, so a likely range is 36-38 (in line with 2017/18’s 37). Centre court didn’t look particularly slow in any of today’s matches, but that may be down to the change to a Dunlop ball rather than the court itself.)

Federer after beating Kohlschreiber in 3 sets:

“My thinking was to just somehow get through. Somehow try not to lose. I'm very pleased I was able to find a way. I actually played a really good third set, I thought.” Source

Raonic after his surprise loss to Struff:

“Maybe wasn’t allowing myself to play as freely and as aggressive enough that I needed to. And it allowed him to get comfortable and to get in a rhythm. He was playing well, he took the chances and did better than I on the important moments.”

“I’m not playing bad. I’m just not executing well in important moments. You go through a few matches where you get closer and closer and that sort of flips the switch quickly.” Read More/Source

5 SHOTS OF THE DAY 😮

— Great half-volley pickup from Ramanathan (far end), but Bautista Agut was just way too good with the line-licking pass to set up match point.

— A bit lucky from Khachanov (white) vs Basilashvili (pink), but a clean forehand slice winner from this position is never not special. Basilashvili thought he had the point won…

— Just as the wind was really picking up today, Federer creamed a backhand down the line. On a big point as well.

— Ramanathan (far end) did so well to get some serious backspin on the volley, but Bautista Agut (near end) kept calm and made up the yards to save a break back point in the opening set.

— Nice forehand flick to backhand smash combo from Kohlschreiber. Tough ball to get such an acute angle on.

WHAT’S ON TOMORROW 📅

DUBAI

— Centre Court: (2pm Local, 10am UK, 8am CT) —

🇷🇺 Medvedev vs Berankis 🇱🇹 (H2H: 1-0) (Hard Court H2H: 1-0)

Prediction: Medvedev in 2

🇯🇵 Nishikori vs Paire 🇫🇷 (H2H: 5-2) (Hard Court H2H: 2-2) 🔥

Prediction: Nishikori in 2

🇭🇷 Cilic vs Monfils 🇫🇷 (H2H: 0-3) (Hard Court H2H: 0-2) 🔥

Prediction: Monfils in 3

🇬🇷 Tsitsipas vs Ebden 🇦🇺 (1st Meeting) 🔥

Prediction: Tsitsipas in 3

— Other Courts To Watch:

🇭🇷 Coric vs Kukushkin 🇰🇿 (H2H: 0-2) (1st Meeting on HC) 🔥

(Last match on Court 1)

Prediction: Coric in 3

— Full OOP

ACAPULCO

OOP still to be released (Acapulco’s schedule gets released much later in the day due to the time zone difference). This week there will probably be separate issues for Dubai and Acapulco because of this.

EXTRAS 🔍📊🎤

Khachanov left. Djokovic Right.

Khachanov has a very horizontal swing. Djokovic/Nishikori, and most other great backhands, get a pronounced drop of the racquet in their preparation to give them a low-high swing path. Watching Khachanov today, & lots of his training, he gets very little drop, & tends to shove the ball flatter (much harder to pull off on low or wide balls). He’s also much less dynamic in the legs vs some of the better double handers on tour. None of this really matters when Karen has time on a linear ball, but this lack of margin and push technique causes him to really struggle on some of the lower balls, and when he’s pushed wide.

Andy Murray has one of the best flat backhands of all time (and looks like he has a very similar grip and racquet face angle to Khachanov's BH prep). But Andy still drops his racquet and wrist to give him margin with a low-high path. Maybe Karen should study Andy's bh.

NEW BALLS PLEASE 👀

— Rafa and Tiafoe getting close at the Acapulco players party. Full Video

— Raonic eagerly entering himself into the coveted ‘djokosmash of the season’ award.

— Some classic tennis commentary today (click the tweet above to watch).

David Mercer: “I SAW A CARP!!”

*Mercer sees a fish*

*Celebrates like Andy Murray won the calendar year grand slam on a bionic leg*

Given some of Mercer’s historically ebullient commentary during Federer matches, we should all hope he never witnesses a chance collision of these two worlds, with Roger Federer feeding some fish (preferably carp, obviously) in a pond. Otherwise the entire universe may descend into instantaneous heat death due to a Mercer outburst.

— Kohlschreiber turning his racquet into PacMan

Matt: Because of the time difference I’ll probably be releasing separate issues for Dubai and Acapulco. Dubai Recaps should come out about this time (6pm UK) each day, and Acapulco will probably be in the morning (8-9am UK time).

GAME, SET, MATCH 👋

— The Racquet is created, and written, by Matt.

— You can find me on Twitter here.

See you tomorrow for Day 2 of Dubai & Acapulco