Vasek Pospisil will face Denis Shapovalov after winning opener in Qatar

DOHA, Qatar — Vasek Pospisil set up an all-Canadian clash with Denis Shapovalov at the Qatar Open with a first-round win Tuesday.

Pospisil, from Vancouver, beat Australian qualifier Christopher O’Connell 6-3, 6-4 at the ATP Tour 250 event.

Pospisil, ranked 67th in the world, will face the fourth-seeded Shapovalov in the second round on Wednesday. Shapovalov, from Richmond Hill, Ont., got a first-round bye.

The career series is tied at 1-1 with both matches taking place last year.

Pospisil was playing just his second match of the year on Tuesday after losing in straight sets to Daniil Medvedev in the first round of the Australian Open.

Meanwhile, Roger Federer will face Britain’s Daniel Evans in the second round on Wednesday as the Swiss great makes his comeback after a 13-month break.

Federer, who has had two operations on his right knee since playing at the Australian Open last year, is a three-time champion at the Doha tournament and has a 26-3 record at the complex.

The 30-year-old Evans saved 16 of the 18 break points he faced to overcome French player Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 on Tuesday. Evans has lost all three of his previous meetings with Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam champion.

— With files from The Associated Press.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 9, 2021.

The Canadian Press