British number one Jack Draper was defeated by Andrey Rublev in three sets in the Qatar Open final.
Draper, aiming for his third career ATP Tour title, lost to the world number 10 with a scoreline of 7-5, 5-7, 6-1 in Doha.
Tight opening sets, Rublev dominates in the decider:
The first two sets were tightly contested, with only one break of serve for either player.
However, the final set saw a shift in momentum as Draper visibly tired. Rublev capitalized, breaking Draper’s serve twice to take a commanding 4-0 lead. Rublev comfortably held serve to secure the victory and his second Qatar Open title, having previously won the tournament in 2020.
Draper reflects on strong week despite disappointment
Despite the loss, Draper, who reached the fourth round of the Australian Open in January, will rise to a career-high 12th in the world rankings. “It has been an amazing week – congratulations to Andrey, he was just too good today,” the 23-year-old said.
“He outlasted me. We have both played some really tough matches this week and he was just too strong for me in the third set.” Draper has now lost three of the five ATP Tour finals he has played in.
Rublev Celebrates Historic Victory
Rublev, reflecting on his win, said, “It is amazing. It is the first title I have won twice so I am really happy.”
The Russian acknowledged the physical toll the tournament had taken on both players, stating, “We were both exhausted after some long matches this week. It was difficult but we were able to play to a good level.
After the second set, I started to play much more freely and he was more tired. I was able to break him and the match changed completely.”
