DUBAI, February 27. /TASS/. Russian tennis player Karen Khachanov cleared the opening round of the 2024 ATP (the Association of Tennis Professionals) Dubai Open Tennis tournament after defeating Luca van Assche of France on Tuesday.

In a match that lasted just one hour and 20 minutes, the Russian, who is playing as a neutral at the tournament, defeated his French opponent in straight sets 6-2; 6-3. Khachanov is now set to face off in Round 2 of the tournament against Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic.

Khachanov, 27, who is currently 15th in the ATP Rankings, has six career ATP titles, with one win this year. His best performance in the Grand Slam series was when he reached the semifinal rounds at the 2022 US Open and the 2023 Australian Open. The Russian player also clinched the silver medal in men’s singles at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. He also won the 2021 Davis Cup as part of the Russian national team.

The 2024 Dubai Open Tennis tournament is an ATP 500 competition on the organization’s calendar and takes place at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre in Dubai between February 26 and March 10.

The tournament is played on outdoor hard courts and offers over $2.9 million in prize money. World No. 4 Daniil Medvedev of Russia is the reigning champion.

Russian players’ neutral status at tennis tournaments

On February 28, 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments, citing Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.

Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February 2022, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) ruled on March 1, 2022 to suspend the membership of the Russian and Belarusian national tennis federations while also canceling all previously scheduled tennis tournaments in the two countries.

On March 14, 2022, the ITF also confirmed its prohibition of the Russian and Belarusian national tennis teams from the 2022 Davis Cup and 2022 Billie Jean King Cup.

However, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) allowed tennis players from Russia and Belarus to continue participating in WTA and ATP tournaments, but only under a neutral status.