Fifth seed Ugo Humbert reached the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships by beating fellow Frenchman Gael Monfils 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Humbert avenged his recent loss to Monfils in the Doha Open quarter-finals to improve to 3-1 in their career head-to-head.
The World No. 18 will face three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray next.
Elsewhere, qualifier Arthur Cazaux marked his first appearance in the main draw of an ATP 500 tournament with an impressive 6-4, 7-6 victory over World No. 26 Lorenzo Musetti.
Meanwhile, fourth seed Karen Khachanov overcame a spirited performance from Luca Van Assche in a 6-2, 6-3 victory.
Khachanov, who won the Qatar Open last week, will face Czech Jiri Lehecka – who overcame a stern challenge from Hungarian qualifier Marton Fucsovics – in the round of 16 on Wednesday.
Belinda Bencic is through to another Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open final after eliminating reigning champion Elena Rybakina in a pulsating contest. The Swiss star will now meet Ashlyn Krueger, who defeated Linda Noskova in straight sets, in Saturday's final.
The Desert Vipers defeated the Sharjah Warriorz in the DP World ILT20 Season 3 Qualifier 2 clash bowling exceptionally well and followed it up with a scintillating batting display to cruise to a seven-wicket win at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Manchester United clawed back from a goal down to beat Leicester City in a 2-1 fourth-round FA Cup victory on Friday at Old Trafford, thanks to a last-gasp controversial header from veteran defender Harry Maguire plus a strike from Joshua Zirkzee.
Clubs worldwide spent a record $2.35 billion on international transfers in men's soccer in the January window, nearly a 58 per cent increase from last year, world soccer's governing body FIFA said in a study published on Friday.
FIFA has suspended the Congo Republic's football association (FECOFOOT) and the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), barring both from international competitions, the world soccer's governing body has said.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai will meet with a group of young humanitarians at a ceremony on February 23, as part of the Arab Hope Makers initiative.
The UAE Floating Hospital in Al-Arish has admitted around 30 patients from Gaza since the start of the ceasefire and the resumption of medical evacuations through the Rafah crossing, as part of the Operation Chivalrous Knight 3.
The UAE on Friday strongly condemned a shooting at an adult education centre in Sweden that killed 11 people, expressing solidarity with the victims' families.