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Match Details
Fixture: (WC) Andy Murray vs Lorenzo Sonego.
Tournament: Qatar ExxonMobil Open.
Round: First Round (Round of 32).
Venue: Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, Doha.
Category: ATP 250.
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt.
Prize money: $1,377,025.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Andy Murray vs Lorenzo Sonego preview
Three-time Major champion Andy Murray will take on Lorenzo Sonego in the first round of the 2023 Qatar Open.
Murray's first tournament of the year was the Adelaide International 1. Up against Sebastian Korda in the opening round, he lost in straight sets. The Brit then headed to Melbourne to compete in the season's first Grand Slam, the Australian Open.
Murray was drawn against 13th seed Matteo Berrettini in the first round. He looked to be in control of the match after winning the first couple of sets, but ultimately needed five sets to secure victory.
The former World No. 1 faced home favorite Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second round.
Murray was pushed to five sets yet again, but held his nerve to survive another close encounter. However, his journey came to an end in the third round as Roberto Bautista Agut defeated him in four sets. The 35--year old is now set to play his first match since that loss.
Lorenzo Sonego also began his season at the Adelaide International 1, but was unable to finish his opening match. He retired halfway through the second set during his first-round clash against Daniil Medvedev. The Italian then lost to Jack Draper in the opening round of his next tournament.
Sonego defeated Nuno Borges at the Australian Open to register his first win of the season, but lost to Hubert Hurkacz in the second round. The 27-year-old then notched up his best result of the season by reaching the quarterfinals of the Open Sud de France.
However, Sonego was unable to sustain the momentum. At last week's ABN AMRO Open, he lost to defending champion Felix Auger-Aliassime in the first round.
Andy Murray vs Lorenzo Sonego head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between them, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Andy Murray vs Lorenzo Sonego odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Andy Murray vs Lorenzo Sonego prediction
Both players have just a handful of wins under their belt this season and will be aiming to flip the script completely here. It looked like Sonego had found his footing, but he slumped to another first-round exit last week.
Murray hasn't competed in almost a month now, but gave it his all in the previous tournament. The Brit battled hard in his three matches at the Australian Open, laying it all out on the court.
While Murray is a two-time Qatar Open champion, Sonego faltered at the opening hurdle in his previous two appearances here. The Italian's a capable server, but will need to be at his very best in this match.
Murray might be far from his prime, but remains a fierce competitor. He's still got enough tricks up his sleeve to give his younger opponents a run for their money. Expect the former World No. 1 to make a winning start here.
Pick: Andy Murray to win in three sets.
