Dubai Championships

Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko took home $154,000 after winning the women's WTA 500 event by beating Veronika Kudermetova in the final last weekend.

The men's ATP 500 event, which ends this weekend, will result in the winner receiving prize money worth $773,000.

"Obviously that's a big step backwards, so it's not great," Murray said after his 7-5 6-2 loss to Jannik Sinner.

"Obviously if they're the same size events one week apart, that's quite a big discrepancy."

The 34-year-old showed no sign of rust or mental baggage from his Australian Open saga, producing a typically clinical display to ease into the second round.

It was Djokovic's first match this year after his hopes of playing at the Australian Open were dashed after he was deported following an 11-day saga revolving around his decision not to have a COVID-19 vaccination and a controversial exemption.