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Berdych starts new season in style after injury-hit 2018

That winning feeling after long time,” tweeted Tomas Berdych with a smiley emoji after last night’s win in the first round of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open.

The Czech had not played since last June after struggling with back injury, which put an end to his 2018 hopes.

Berdych had to rely on wild card to enter the $1.4mn ATP 250 event here in Doha. And the former World No 4, now fitter and fresher, made a good start to his new season as he overcame Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 6-4, 7-6(5) at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash complex.

Berdych, ranked 71 now, was not at his fluent best but it was enough to get past Kohlschreiber, whom he had beaten on eight of 10 attempts coming into yesterday’s first round match.

Berdych will next play eighth-seeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, who beat lucky loser Paolo Lorenzi of Italy 6-3, 6-4. Verdasco, the 2017 semi-finalist in Qatar, relied on his strong service game as he struck nine aces in a routine victory on centre court.