Qatar Emir Attends Part of Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2012

Doha, January 03 (QNA) - HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani attended on Tuesday evening part of matches of the 20th edition of Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2012 currently held at Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex. World number two Rafael Nadal qualified for the second round of Qatar Open after defeating Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 6-7, 6-3. At 4-2 up, Kohlschreiber netted a backhand to give Nadal a break back. The relentless power of Nadal's shots left Kohlschreiber scrambling but he clung on to take the set into a tiebreak. Kohlschreiber started the deciding set in similar fashion, running to an errant Nadal drop volley to hammer a forehand winner down the line to break serve. But that only served to stir Nadal from his slumber, who broke back immediately and surged into a 4-1 lead he never looked like relinquishing. "I didn't have the chance to practise a lot in December. I had problems with my shoulder and my knee," Nadal was quoted as saying in a courtside interview. "It's very important to start 2012 with a victory. The beginning was a little bit risky but I came back very well." (QNA)