Lehecka Stuns Top Seed Alcaraz

World number three Carlos Alcaraz suffered a shock exit in the Qatar Open quarter-finals, falling to Jiri Lehecka in a thrilling three-set battle.

Alcaraz, the top seed, lost the opening set before mounting a comeback to level the match. He then led by a break in the decider, but world number 25 Lehecka fought back to win the final four games, sealing a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 victory.

The Spaniard entered the match on a seven-match winning streak following his triumph in Rotterdam but struggled against an in-form Lehecka, who had already won his second career title in Brisbane earlier this year.

Alcaraz: “I Don’t Know What I Could Have Done Better”

Speaking after the match, Alcaraz admitted he had no regrets about his performance:

“Honestly, I don’t know what I could have done better. I have to give credit to him as well because when he was down, especially in the third set, he didn’t give up. He was returning pretty well, really aggressively, no mistakes, or almost no mistakes.”

Lehecka Eyes Final Spot Against Draper

The 23-year-old Czech is through to the Doha semi-finals for the second time and will face British eighth seed Jack Draper for a place in the final.

“I feel great,” said Lehecka. “To win a match like that against a player like this is a super big achievement. I believed in myself and knew I had the level to produce this kind of tennis. The most important part was believing in my game and not backing down.”

Draper Battles Past Berrettini

Draper fought back from a set down to defeat Matteo Berrettini 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the last quarter-final of the day.

Berrettini, a former world number six and Wimbledon runner-up, had stunned Novak Djokovic in the second round but couldn’t sustain his momentum against Draper.

Rublev Survives Thriller Against De Minaur

In another gripping quarter-final, Andrey Rublev outlasted Alex de Minaur in a dramatic encounter, winning 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (10/8).

Rublev, the 2020 Qatar Open champion, wasted a 5-2 lead in the final set but managed to hold on after saving a match point.

“When I had my first match point, I played really well. I did everything amazing, and he just played an unreal rally,” Rublev said.
“I started getting tight and emotional, but I told myself, ‘If I’m going to lose, at least try to do your best until the end.'”

The victory marks Rublev’s first win against a top-10 player since August last year.

Rublev vs. Auger-Aliassime in Semi-Finals

Rublev’s next challenge is a semi-final showdown with Felix Auger-Aliassime, who advanced after Daniil Medvedev retired while trailing 6-3 in their quarter-final.