Recent Montpellier finalist Roberto Bautista Agut overcame 22 aces from Reilly Opelka to beat the American 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the Qatar Open on Monday.
The Spanish player, seeded fifth, converted only two of 11 breakpoints.
Bautista Agut, who reached the Montpellier final just over a week ago, will play Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik in the second round after Bublik beat Indian qualifier Ramkumar Ramanathan 6-4, 6-2.
Surprise Australian Open semifinalist Aslan Karatsev had a relaxed return to the court with a 6-4, 6-0 win against Qatari player Mubarak Shannan Zayid.
Karatsev's next match will be much more strenuous as he faces U.S. Open champion, Dominic Thiem.
Taylor Fritz was 4-2 down in the second set before beating Lorenzo Sonego 7-6 (5), 6-4. The American next plays sixth-seeded David Goffin or Filip Krajinovic.
Experienced French player Richard Gasquet set up a second-round match with Andrey Rublev, who's coming off a title win on Sunday in Rotterdam. Gasquet beat Slovenian qualifier Blaz Rola 6-4, 6-4.
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