QNA
The preliminary rounds of Qatar ExxonMobil Open will begin at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha today, with main rounds starting on Monday.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland and 2012 champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France are among the top stars set to open their season in Doha.
Wawrinka reached Doha on Wednesday and was given a warm welcome while Canadian Milos Raonic, the 2016 Wimbledon finalist, was also given a traditional welcome at the Hamad International Airport.
In all, 21 players made the entry list for the singles event of the annual ATP World Tour 250 series tournament with three slots allotted for wild card entrants and four for qualifiers.
The doubles event will feature 16 teams.
Other key players expected to feature at the event include 2018 finalist Andrey Rublev and Doha-resident Fernando Verdasco, who is the 2009 Australian Open semi-finalist.
Richard Gasquet, the 2013 champion in Doha, has suffered a setback ahead of the new season as he has withdrawn and his place is taken by Great Britain’s Kyle Edmund.