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Rublev edges Auger-Aliassime to reach his third Qatar Open final where Draper awaits
Andrey Rublev edged Félix Auger-Aliassime 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (5) to reach another Qatar Open final. He will face Jack Draper in the decider on Saturday. The 10th-ranked Rublev needed four match points to close out No. 23 Auger-Aliassime for the sixth time in seven matchups. Rublev lost the 2018 final in Doha but won in 2020. He withstood 21 aces from the Canadian over the nearly three-hour match.
“(It took) everything. It was super tough today,” Rublev said. ”He was serving well and I was just saying, Okay, I cannot do much, this is one of the best servers on tour. I just need to try to guess and when I have a moment, just go for it.'" In his 27th career final and first since August, he will play No. 16 Draper, who will appear in his fifth.
Rublev, who battled through a tense quarter-final against Alex de Minaur, needing eight match points to secure victory, found himself in another tight spot against Auger-Aliassime. Holding a match point on return at 6-5, 30/40, he was unable to capitalize, allowing the Canadian to hold serve and push the set into a tie-break. However, Auger-Aliassime couldn’t maintain the momentum, while Rublev remained composed, delivering powerful and consistent strokes before finally sealing the win on his fourth match point.
Despite being outclassed in the ace department (8-21), Rublev’s serve played a pivotal role in his triumph. Rublev dominated behind his first serve, winning 84% of points (61/73), in contrast to Auger-Aliassime’s 75%. Draper beat No. 25 Jiri Lehecka 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3 in the semifinals. Draper has a 0-3 record against Rublev. (AP)
