Top 5 Photos 3/10: Federer grabs first win in 405 days

The action continued to unfold at the ATP 250 event in Doha and the WTA 1000-level tournament in Dubai. Many top names were forced to dig deep to advance past red-hot players, and one major champion scored his first victory after 14 long months away from the action.

These are the Top 5 Photos from Wednesday. (All photos Getty)

1

Roger Federer?

The 20-time Grand Slam champion was pushed to the max against Daniel Evans. Before Doha's round-of-16 encounter, the former No. 1 had never given up a set to the Brit. With so much time away from competitive play and Evans's great effort, Federer had to fight past the 30-year-old to walk away with a 7-6 (8), 3-6, 7-5 win.

The victory marks the Swiss star's first-match win since his quarterfinal win against Tennys Sandgren at the 2020 Australian Open.

2

Dominic Thiem

There was no doubt that the 2020 US Open champion would have to give his all against Russia's Aslan Karatsev, who is on the hottest streak of his career. The world No. 4 was pushed to a deciding set but found a way to dig out a gritty 7-6 (6), 4-6 7-6 (4) win at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open.

Ten years ago the two competitors battled in the opening round of Roehampton's junior event in 2011. Each of their journeys now look very different, but both have come a long way.

3

Jessica Pegula

"I definitely think I surprised myself a little bit with how well I’ve done," the American said after dismissing Dubai's No. 2 seed Karolina Pliskova, 6-0, 6-2. Pegula is showing no signs of stopping as she heads into her third quarterfinal showing this season.

The 27-year-old will take on Elise Mertens for a spot in the 1000-level event's semifinal. The last time the two competitors faced off, Pegula fell in straights in last year's Western & Southern Open quarterfinal.

4

Elise Mertens

"I'm really satisfied," Mertens told press following her 6-4, 6-2 victory against Caroline Garica. The Belgian suffered an early 3-1 deficit, but began to play more freely and aggressively. The two faced off earlier this season at the Gippsland Trophy event just before the first major of the year, with Mertens winning in straight sets as well.

5

Garbine Murgurza

The two-time major champion performed brilliantly against last year's Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek. Murgurza served up a bagel in the opening set and held off a late comeback surge from the Polish teenager to win, 6-0, 6-4, in Dubai.