Preview ATP Qatar Open: Jack Draper and Andrey Rublev to clash for first title of the season

Jack Draper and Andrey Rublev will face off this Saturday in the ATP 500 Qatar Open final after defeating Jiri Lehecka and Felix Auger-Aliassime, respectively. The Russian leads their head-to-head 3-0, but with a confident Draper, anything is possible.

Read also

Preview WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Final: Mirra Andreeva and Clara Tauson battle for first WTA 1000 crown

Draper aims for third career title

Jack Draper (No. 16) has defeated Alexei Popyrin (No. 27), Christopher O’Connell (No. 82), Matteo Berrettini (No. 32), and Jiri Lehecka (No. 25) on his way to the final, coming from a set down in his last two matches. In the semifinal against Lehecka, he won 88% of points on his first serve but struggled on his second (43%), largely due to Lehecka’s strong returns.

Draper faced physical issues during the pre-season and withdrew from the early tournaments of the year. He made his return at the Australian Open but was forced to retire in the fourth round against Carlos Alcaraz, which remains his only official loss of the season (7-1 record).

The Brit has long been considered one of the biggest talents on the Tour, and he is now proving himself as a serious contender for major titles. He reached the US Open semifinals last year and won his first two ATP titles in 2024 at the Stuttgart Open (ATP 250) and Vienna Open (ATP 500).

Read also

Daily Dose of Social Media: Roger Federer stars in new Rolex ad alongside Sinner and Gauff, Rafael Nadal shares wisdom with young WTA talents

Can Rublev extend his dominance over Draper?

A fresh opportunity for Rublev in his first final of the year, as he looks to regain confidence this week. Against Alex de Minaur, he once again found himself in a tense battle but managed to come through. The Russian is seeking his 17th career title and sixth ATP 500 trophy.

Rublev suffered surprising early losses at the start of the season, falling to Joao Fonseca (No. 112 at the time) in the Australian Open first round and later to Alexander Kovacevic (No. 102) in France.

This week in Doha, he has battled past Alexander Bublik (No. 48), Nuno Borges (No. 39), Alex de Minaur (No. 8), and Felix Auger-Aliassime (No. 23). Against the Canadian, Rublev astonishingly won 23 consecutive points on serve in the third set.

His recent matches have been emotionally charged. Against De Minaur, he squandered seven match points—several on his own serve—before finally sealing a win that seemed to be slipping away. Against Auger-Aliassime, he had to push through a thrilling tie-break but held his nerve to clinch the victory.

Read also

Tournament Centre ATP Qatar Open 2025: Schedule, results, Prize Money and TV Guide

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Unlock your ultimate tennis experience—subscribe today for exclusive access to top stories.

Subscribe