In a thrilling finale at the Qatar Open, Andrey Rublev emerged victorious over Jack Draper with a scoreline of 7-5, 5-7, 6-1, clinching the title for the second time in his career on Saturday. The tournament, held in the vibrant city of Doha, saw Rublev credit his winning performance to a robust mental strategy.
Rublev’s journey to this victory wasn’t easy, as evidenced by his consecutive three-set matches over the last three days. In his previous games, the Russian tennis star also ceded the second set to opponents Alex de Minaur and Felix Auger-Aliassime, making his triumph even more impressive.
Reflecting on his performance, Rublev remarked, “I managed to stay mentally strong and didn’t let frustration take over. Each time I felt it creeping in, I reset my focus and maintained my intensity. That’s been key for me.”
Earning his 17th career title, Rublev celebrated his repeat win in Doha, having first lifted the trophy in 2020. “This is the first title I’ve won twice, and it feels special,” he shared. Both players were weary from late-night, grueling matches earlier in the tournament, yet they competed at high levels. Rublev added, “After losing the second set, I just decided to let go and play more freely.”
This latest victory further cements Rublev’s perfect 4-0 record against Draper. Nevertheless, Draper is set to achieve a career-high ranking of No. 12 when the new standings are announced on Monday.
Reflecting on his performance, Draper mentioned, “We had some hard-fought battles this week. In the third set, he just had the edge. But I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved. Every day is about working hard and getting better, and this is proof of that effort.”
