Daniil Medvedev victorious to begin Dubai title defense

Reigning champion Daniil Medvedev recorded a 6-3, 7-5 win over Alexander Shevchenko of Kazakhstan on Tuesday in the first round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Medvedev had withdrawn from two recent tournaments due to fatigue and a right foot injury, making this the top-seeded Russian's first on-court appearance since losing to Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open final.

Medvedev advances to face Italian Lorenzo Sonego, who posted a 6-4, 5-7, 6-1 win over Sumit Nagal of India. The latter saved two break points at 5-5 in the second before running out of steam in the third set of the 2-hour, 19-minute match.

Fourth-seeded Karen Khachanov breezed to a 6-2, 6-3 win over Frenchman Luca Van Assche.

France's Ugo Humbert, the fifth seed, posted a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over countryman Gael Monfils and eighth-seeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain seized a 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 victory over Fabian Marozsan of Hungary.