Dubai, an ATP 500 event, has become the single toughest tournament played this year since the Australian Open.  This year, in the top ten, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray are among the top seeds in this event.  This marks Djokovic’s return back to tour, as well as Andy Murray.  Federer, interestingly enough, decided to play Rotterdam, an event he hadn’t been at in 7 years.  He won that tournament over Juan Martin del Potro.  del Potro, meanwhile, has kept quite busy playing Rotterdam, then Marseille last week, beating Michael Llodra in the finals.

On Monday, Djokovic both won and lost.  The number one player, Novak Djokovic, did just fine with a straight set win over Stebe.  Marko Djokovic, Novak’s younger brother and recipient of a wildcard, most likely due to his brother getting his wish granted by tournament organizers, but whose ranking is deep in the triple digits, lost in straight sets to Andrey Golubev, preventing the unlikely Djokovic vs. Djokovic final.

To show how challenging the tournament has been, Roger Federer opened up his match against Michael Llodra, who was in the finals of Marseille last week.  Fed won 6-0, 7-6.

Murray had a tougher time.  Dealing with some sickness, Murray needed three sets to beat Berrer, the man that seemed destined to beat Murray when Murray twisted an ankle at the French Open.  Instead, Berrer became Mr. Nice Guy, and kept the ball deep, while Murray hit all out, and beat Berrer just as handily after the injury as before, despite being hobbled, and went on to have his best French Open yet, reaching the semifinals for the first time.

Murray beat Berrer, 63, 46, 64 after being broken numerous times in the second set, and being up in the second set as well.  He faces Swiss number 3, Marco Chiudinelli.

Somebody must have rubbed Fish the wrong way in the US.  While players like Isner are playing Memphis and Delray Beach,  Mardy Fish has chosen to play in Europe in Marseille and now in Dubai.  That, or the guarantee money was a bit too lucrative.

The top seeds in the top half are Djokovic, Tipsarevic, Murray, and Berdych while Federer, Tsonga, del Potro, and Fish are on the bottom half.