Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer Continues to Lead in Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2012

Doha, January 04 (QNA) - Two former world number one stars Roger Federer of Switzerland and Rafael Nadal of Spain registered contrasting wins at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2012 to begin their new ATP Tour season on a happy note. At the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex yesterday, Federer has an easy 6-2, 6-2 straight sets win over world number 41 Nikolay Davydenko of Russia. The defending champion who is aiming to win his fourth title in Doha having also won back-to-back title in 2005 and 2006 just took 54 minutes to dispose of the 2010 winner. On the other hand, his arch rival Nadal struggled his way with a 6-3, 7-6(2), 6-3 win over against Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany. Nadal survived a scare from Kohlschreiber a player ranked 41 places behind him in the world rankings but held his nerve to progress to the next round. The Spaniard lost the second set on a tie-break, but battled back to claim a victory to book his place in the second round. Nadal, who has confirmed he will take a month s break after the Australian Open to recover from a shoulder problem, looked some way off his best, but showed real fighting spirit as he kicked off 2012 with a victory. In an earlier match, third seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga knocked out Tunisian wild card Malek Jaziri 7-6(5), 6-7(5), 6-1 to reach the second round. Tsonga fired down 12 aces and won 70 per cent of his service points against the World No. 118 for victory in two hours and 20 minutes. Last year, the 26-year-old Frenchman reached the semi-finals. Croatian Ivo Karlovic scraped past fellow big-server Sergiy Stakhovsky of the Ukraine in a 6-7(1), 6-2, 7-6(3) win in two hours and 11 minutes, while German qualifier Denis Gremelmayr proved too strong for Potito Starace of Italy win a 6-3, 6-2 victory.(QNA)