Romanian tennis players Victor Hanescu (in picture) and Florin Mergea will attend the ATP tournament at Doha, which started on December 30.

Hanescu, 32, number 80 ATP, will play against the Portuguese Joao Sousa, 24, who is number 49 ATP.

This will be their second match, after the Romanian won at the first round of qualifications for ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Paris.

Florin Mergea will play doubles, teaming up with Austrian Oliver Marach. They will play against Spaniards David Marrero and Fernando Verdasco. The prizes for the Doha tour reach some USD 1.2 million.

Andy Murray makes his return from back surgery in Doha. The Scot, who missed the last three months of the 2013 season, has a 14-1 record in Doha, winning the title in 2007 and 2009.

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal is set to make his sixth appearance in Doha, where he reached the final in 2010. The Spaniard is in the hunt for his 61st tour-level title, having lifted 10 trophies in 2013.

editor@romania-insider.com