Jack Draper reached the final of the Qatar Open by defeating Jiri Lehecka with a score of 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3. He will face Andrey Rublev in the final, after Rublev defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime. In men’s doubles, an all-British final will also take place.
Jack Draper, the British number one, advanced to the final of the Qatar Open after defeating Czech player Jiri Lehecka with a score of 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3. Lehecka started strong by breaking Draper’s serve in the eighth game of the first set. However, Draper showcased resilience, winning a closely contested second set in a tiebreak.
In the final set, both players held serve until a critical double fault from Lehecka allowed Draper to break serve. Lehecka’s frustration was evident as he threw his racket. Draper capitalized on his second match point to secure the victory, while also overcoming previous injury challenges.
Draper expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating, “I thought in the first set I put in a sloppy game… I felt more positive as the match went on. I’m proud of the way I competed out there.” He will face Andrey Rublev, who reached the final by defeating Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Rublev, the world number 10, won his semifinal match 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5). He noted his improving form, adding, “I feel that I’m playing better and better week by week, I’m improving,” having won all prior meetings with Draper. The event also featured an all-British men’s doubles final, with Neal Skupski and Joe Salisbury emerging victorious.
In summary, Jack Draper made an impressive comeback to reach the Qatar Open final after overcoming Jiri Lehecka in a challenging semifinal. His victory sets up a match against Andrey Rublev, who is currently in good form. Additionally, the doubles competition showcased strong performances from British teams, culminating in a notable final.
Original Source: www.bbc.com
