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The Greek will next face Karen Khachanov, who moved past Daniel Evans 6-1, 6-3 to snap a three-match losing streak and earn his first win against the British wild card. 

The 28 year-old, who had lost all five of his previous encounters against the 34 year-old Evans, is making his ninth consecutive appearance in Dubai, with his best result a quarter-final showing in 2020.

In other action, big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard clinched victory on his Dubai debut with a 6-3, 7-6(3) triumph against Zhang Zhizhen. The World No. 29 hit 13 aces and saved two set points on serve at 5-6 in the second set before advancing after 89 minutes.

Mpetshi Perricard, who won his first ATP 500 title in Basel last season, was competing for the first time since the Davis Cup at the start of February after missing Marseille due to illness. Fit and firing again, the 21 year-old next meets top seed Daniil Medvedev or German Jan-Lennard Struff.

Earlier, Australian Alexei Popyrin defeated Lebanese wild card Hady Habib 6-2, 6-4 to earn his first win of the season. The 25year-old, who captured his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Montreal last year, will take on second seed and countryman Alex de Minaur in the second round.

The 2018 champion Roberto Bautista Agut also advanced, overcoming Fabian Marozsan 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4). 

The Spaniard next meets third seed Andrey Rublev or Quentin Halys.

Zizou Bergs continued his good season with a 6-3, 6-3 win against Tunisian wild card Aziz Dougaz. The Belgian advanced to the title match in Auckland in January and the semi-finals in Marseille earlier this month.