DOHA, Qatar, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Three of the top four men tennis players -- world No. 1 Rafael Nadal, former top-ranked Roger Federer and Andy Murray -- were winners Tuesday at the Qatar Open.
The three highlight first-round play at the ATP World Tour's $1.11 million season-opening at the Qatar Open.
Top-seeded Nadal beat 36-year-old Frenchman Fabrice Santoro 6-0, 6-1; second-seeded Federer beat Italian Potito Starace 6-2, 6-2; and third-seeded Murray beat Spaniard Albert Montanes 6-2, 6-4.
Murray, reigning Doha champion and U.S. Open runner-up, defeated Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka in last year's Qatar Open finale.
Nadal is the reigning Wimbledon, French Open and Olympic titlist, while Federer is the current U.S. Open champ and won this Doha event back-to- back in 2005 and 2006.
