In a riveting showdown at the Qatar Open, Britain’s top tennis talent Jack Draper carved his path to the finals with a hard-fought triumph over Jiri Lehecka. The match ended in a gripping 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 scoreline favoring the Brit.
Lehecka, hailing from the Czech Republic, showed early dominance. He clinched the first set by breaking Draper’s serve in the decisive eighth game. However, the second set saw a much closer contest, pushed to a tiebreaker where Draper excelled, showcasing a nearly perfect performance to force a third set.
The decisive set remained on serve until Lehecka faltered with a double fault, handing Draper a crucial break. Frustrated, the Czech player vented by slamming his racket to the floor. Capitalizing on this momentum shift, Draper, who has recently battled and overcome injury woes, secured another break with his second match point. This victory not only propelled him into the final but also brought him tantalizingly close to capturing his third career title.
Reflecting on his performance, Draper admitted, “In the first set, I played a sloppy game. But as the match progressed, I started gaining an edge on his serve, which made things easier for me. I am really proud of how I competed.”
Following a noteworthy showing at the Australian Open where he reached the fourth round, Draper is now set to face Andrey Rublev in Saturday’s final. Rublev, the world number 10, emerged victorious in another nail-biting match against Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, with scores of 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5).
Speaking about his form, Rublev, who holds three prior wins over Draper, expressed optimism about his game, saying, “I feel like my performance is on an upward trajectory, improving each week.” The upcoming showdown promises to be a highlight in the tournament, as both players bring their best to the court.
