Work of art! French qualifier Cazaux reaches main draw of 2024 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

Cazaux, 21, didn’t drop a set in either qualifying round to progress to the main draw of his first ATP 500 tournament

2018 champion Bautista Agut crashes out in qualifying; veteran Gasquet also out after defeat to two-time Dubai quarterfinalist Marton Fucsovics

Dubai, UAE—February 25, 2024: French qualifier Arthur Cazaux reached the main draw of an ATP 500 tournament for the first time on Sunday after a 7-6(5), 6-4 victory over Giulio Zeppieri at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Cazaux, who didn’t drop a set during the two qualifying rounds at Dubai Tennis Stadium, will face World No26 Lorenzo Musetti in a first-round clash on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the 2018 champion Roberto Bautista Agut crashed out of the tournament at the second qualifying stage after succumbing to a 7-6, 2-6, 1-6 loss against Tomas Machac on court one.

Bautista impressed during the opening set, but Machac – who gave five-time Dubai champion Novak Djokovic an almighty scare during a thrilling first-round clash on Centre Court last year – was in cruise control during both the second and third sets to set up a meeting with seventh seed Alexander Bublik.

Former World No7 Richard Gasquet is also out of the competition after losing to two-time Dubai quarterfinalist Marton Fucsovics in three sets. Gasquet, 37, looked on course to secure a spot in the main draw after winning the opening set on court three.

But Gasquet, featuring in the competition for the ninth time, was swept aside in the remaining two sets by the hard-hitting Hungarian in a 6-4, 1-6, 4-6 defeat.

Another Dubai debutant, German Maximilian Marterer, will join Cazaux and Fucsovics in the first round after a battling 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Luca Van Assche. Marterer will face Australian Christopher O’Connell, ranked number 65 in the world.

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free and held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Tickets for the men’s ATP event are available to purchase at www.dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com.