Jack Draper Advances to Qatar Open Final with Gritty Victory

DOHA, Qatar — Jack Draper, the British men’s No. 1, secured a place in the Qatar Open final with a hard-fought 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3 victory over Jiri Lehecka on Friday. The 23-year-old’s determination allowed him to bounce back after losing the first set, setting up a championship clash against world No. 10 Andrey Rublev on Saturday.

Draper faced early challenges as Lehecka, fresh off a remarkable quarterfinal victory over top seed Carlos Alcaraz, broke his serve in the eighth game to take the first set. However, Draper, undeterred, showed resilience in the second set, forcing a tiebreak where he dominated with a score of 7-2.

“I thought in the first set I put in a sloppy game,” Draper remarked after the match. “I started to get a lead on his [Lehecka’s] serve, holding easier and creating a lot of pressure behind his serve. I felt more positive as the match went on. I’m proud of the way I competed out there.”

The match took a pivotal turn in the final set. A critical double fault by Lehecka allowed Draper to break serve early, leading him to maintain momentum and secure the match after two hours and 23 minutes.

Draper’s path to the final was particularly significant, marking his return to competitive play after a hip injury forced him to retire during the Australian Open earlier this year. He noted the importance of regaining his fitness and confidence, stating, “At the end of last year, I started to pick up some real momentum. My level was all over the place during the Australian Open, but now I feel much more confident.”

Now, Draper finds himself poised to face Rublev, who clinched his spot in the final by defeating Félix Auger-Aliassime 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (5). Rublev holds a perfect record against Draper in their previous meetings, making Saturday’s final all the more challenging.

“He’s going to come out and play incredibly well,” Draper said, speaking of Rublev. “I need to be ready for a tough match.”

Alongside the singles final, the men’s doubles final will feature an all-British matchup as Neal Skupski and Joe Salisbury take on Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara, following their respective semifinal wins.

The anticipation for Draper’s match against Rublev continues to build, as many observers look to see if Draper can secure his first title of the 2025 season and his third ATP title overall. This final could mark a significant moment in Draper’s career as he seeks to solidify his status among the elite players in tennis.