The first round of matches at the Qatar Open provided some real entertainment as the top stars in men’s tennis took to the court in the Middle East.
Several big names returned to action on Tuesday at the Qatar Open, searching for a big win in Doha.
Daniil Medvedev secured a hard-fought victory over his compatriot Karen Khachanov, having struggled at times so far in 2025.
One star who hasn’t struggled this year is Alex de Minaur, who beat Roman Safiullin in the first round to advance to the last 16.
Matteo Berrettini then shocked Novak Djokovic, securing his first career victory over the 24-time Major champion.
It was a tough day for the Serb, who was returning from injury, although he likely enjoyed the final match of the day as his compatriot produced a stunning victory over one of the ATP Tour’s most dangerous players.
Tennis fans are all praising ‘warrior’ Hamad Medjedovic for his win over Stefanos Tsitsipas in Qatar
After a strong start to 2025, Serbian 21-year-old Hamad Medjedovic took on former world number three Stefanos Tsitsipas in Doha.
The world number 73 injured himself badly at 5-4 in the third set but remarkably hobbled across the finish line to win, 7-6, 5-7, 7-6.
Fans were quick to praise the Serb for his resilience as he battled through pain to secure a shock win.
“Yeah, he is a warrior,” said one fan on X.
“Hamad [Medjedovic] is a warrior,” added another.
“One of the maddest things I’ve seen,” said another tennis fan.
“What an amazing effort from Hamad Medjedovic to win that tiebreak with literally one leg,” said a fan.
“Tons of respect gained today.
“Looks like the [Novak] Djokovic funding isn’t going to waste after all.”
Djokovic has given financial aid to his fellow countryman Medjedovic as he looks to support the future of Serbian tennis.
Several tennis fans saw the influence of Djokovic in Medjedovic’s performance on Tuesday.
“Unreal win,” said one fan.
“Unlikely he plays his next match but coming through this was so wild.
“Definitely inspired by Novak.
“If he stays healthy I think he’s top 30 by the end of this year at least.
“Finally, GOAT’s pupil Hamad Medjedovic has grown up, fighting against [Stefanos] Tsitsipas on one leg and won the match,” added another.
“Just like Novak defeated [Carlos] Alcaraz with a torn thigh.”
“Wow,” said another tennis fan.
“Medjedovic channelling his inner Djokovic.
“The Serbian resilience is real.”
Another fan was impressed by the Serbian’s performance in Doha.
“Medjedovic is a problem lets be honest,” they said.
Hamad Medjedovic continues his strong start to 2025 after controversial Australian Open decision
A former Next Gen ATP Finals champion, Medjedovic began 2025 ranked 113th in the world and immediately made a bold move in search of a top 100 debut.
While most players ranked just outside the top 100 headed to Melbourne for the Australian Open qualifying tournament, Medjedovic took a trip to Portugal, for two Challenger Tour events.
When asked why he decided not to travel to the first Grand Slam of the season, Medjedovic explained how focused he was on breaking into the top 100.
“It was mostly because of the points and because it’s a big trip,” he said.
“At the moment, I prefer ATP points to money; we want to make the top 100 as soon as possible.”
Medjedovic won the first of two Challenger Tour events in Oeiras, Portugal, before reaching the quarter-finals in the second.
He then continued his excellent form with a run to the final in Marseille, taking down former world number one Medvedev in the last four.
Just two months into the season, Medjedovic is now ranked 73rd in the world, as his early season decisions have paid off in a big way.
Will Hamad Medjedovic be fit to play his Qatar Open second-round match?
The Serbian star struggled during the latter stages of his win over Tsitsipas, leading many to question whether he would take to the court on Wednesday for his last 16 encounter with Felix Auger-Aliassime.
He took to X after his win over Tsitsipas, reacting to his blockbuster win, but didn’t give too much away as to his fitness levels.
The pair are scheduled as the penultimate match on Wednesday, potentially giving the Serb extra time to recover.
Auger-Aliassime beat Quentin Halys in his first-round match, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6, to set up an intriguing clash with Medjedovic.
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