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Upsets have been the norm this week in Doha, the place Andrey Rublev is the highest-seeded participant remaining at No. 5. Rublev will face Felix Auger-Aliassime, whereas Jiri Lehecka is coming off a win over Carlos Alcaraz and can meet Jack Draper.Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. (5) Andrey Rublev
Rublev and Auger-Aliassime shall be squaring off for the seventh time of their careers after they battle on Friday for a spot within the remaining of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open. The top-to-head sequence stands at 5-1 in favor of Rublev, who prevailed twice in 2024–each occasions 7-5 within the third set (first in Rotterdam and once more within the remaining of the Madrid Masters).
What started as a troublesome week for Auger-Aliassime has was a stroll within the park. Since outlasting Quentin Halys in a third-set tiebreaker, the Twenty third-ranked Canadian has gotten a walkover from Hamad Medjedovic and a retirement from Daniil Medvedev following their first set on Thursday (Auger-Aliassime gained it 6-3). Beforehand struggling, Rublev has been spectacular up to now in Doha. The Tenth-ranked Russian erased Alexander Bublik and Nuno Borges in straight units earlier than beating a red-hot Alex de Minaur 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(8) within the quarters. A slight edge goes to Rublev, who is now 14-5 lifetime at this occasion with one title (2020). However don’t be fooled by the head-to-head historical past; all of their matchups have been extremely aggressive. Actually, their most lopsided scoreline is 7-5, 7-6(4).
Jiri Lehecka vs. (8) Jack DraperLehecka was already in unimaginable type this season, after which he reached even larger heights by upsetting Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 on Thursday. That outcome was preceded by straight-set defeats of Grigor Dimitrov and Fabian Marozsan, giving the Twenty fifth-ranked Czech a 13-2 report for his 2025 marketing campaign–together with a title in Brisbane.
Up subsequent for Lehecka is a 3rd showdown towards Draper. They cut up a pair of conferences in 2024, with Lehecka triumphing 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 within the Adelaide remaining earlier than Draper obtained the job executed 7-5, 6-2 on the indoor arduous courts of Paris. The Sixteenth-ranked Brit can be taking part in superior tennis proper now, sporting a 6-1 report for the yr that options Doha wins over Alexei Popyrin, Christopher O’Connell, and Matteo Berrettini. Draper was the a lot higher the entire method towards Berrettini, needing three units solely as a result of he went 0-for-6 on break factors within the first set. Just like the lefty, Lehecka has handled loads of accidents throughout his profession and he didn’t look to be in full bodily consolation following his victory over Alcaraz. Draper has an excellent probability to win this match–and your entire event.
Decide: Draper in 3
