Djokovic pulls out of Qatar Open

ONE of the season’s traditional curtain-raisers, the Qatar Open, begins today, but with the late withdrawal of Novak Djokovic, the tournament is shorn of its usual A-list headline acts.

Djokovic, Doha champion for the past two years, pulled out on Saturday because of continuing problems with a niggling elbow injury.

His absence was bad news personally – placing doubts over his participation in January’s Australian Open – and potentially also for the tournament, which in the past few seasons has earned a growing reputation.

Last year the Serbian superstar beat Britain’s Andy Murray, the then world No1, in a thrilling, three-set final in front of a sell-out Doha. The year before, Djokovic destroyed Rafa Nadal in the final.

This year, though, the field in Qatar is less eyecatching but may provide an opportunity for the new stars of tennis to push through.

With Djokovic gone, the No1 seeding has been handed to the world No5, Dominic Thiem.

The Austrian is looking to rebuild on an initially promising 2017, when he reached the semis of the French Open before losing in Paris to eventual champion and current world No1 Nadal.

Thiem warmed up for Qatar by appearing at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in the United Arab Emirates, where he lost on Friday to eventual tournament winner Kevin Anderson.