Fierce Andrey Rublev survives epic Doha thriller against Felix Auger-Aliassime to reach the final

Andrey Rublev secured an impressive victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime, winning 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 [7-4] to reach the Qatar Open final. The Russian faced tough moments against an opponent who rarely faltered on serve but capitalized on his opportunities in the final set to advance to his first final of the year.

The world No. 10 overcame health issues during the third set and earned his sixth win over Auger-Aliassime in seven meetings. He will face the winner of Jack Draper (No. 16) and Jiri Lehecka (No. 25) in the title match.

Both players had been serving well in recent matches, particularly Auger-Aliassime, who looked more threatening on serve from the start and created the first break opportunity in the third game, though he failed to convert it.

Everything remained steady for both players until Rublev led 5-4, where he had four set points, but the Canadian held firm on serve. Just when the set seemed headed for a tiebreak, Rublev seized a late opportunity to take the lead, clinching the set 7-5.

Auger-Aliassime did not let up, and his serve kept him out of trouble for most of the set. Rublev showed signs of vulnerability early on, allowing the Canadian to break in the third game and take control, a lead he never relinquished.

The world No. 23 delivered his best serving performance in the second set, winning 88% of points on his first serve and 70% on his second. He dropped just five points on serve throughout the set and saved the only break point he faced with an ace in the closing stages. After 40 minutes, the 24-year-old secured the set 6-4, looking dominant on serve and sharper in rallies.

Rublev struggled to find his rhythm early in the deciding set but managed to hold serve. Leading 2-1, the Russian called for a medical timeout, appearing unwell rather than dealing with a muscular issue. After taking medication, the match resumed without significant delay.

Rublev returned looking stronger and immediately put Auger-Aliassime under pressure, creating multiple break point opportunities in the following games.

This time, Rublev was impeccable on serve, winning 23 consecutive points on his serve, but he couldn't do much on return. With a 6-5 lead, he earned his first break point of the set, which was also a match point, but the Canadian managed to survive and send it to a tie-break. A single mini-break was enough to secure the victory 7-5, 4-6, 7-6[7-5] for Rublev - after three match points - and reach his first final of the season. He will face the winner of Jack Draper (No. 16) and Jiri Lehecka (No. 25) in the title match.