Andrey Rublev does not give up and in his eighth MP he advances to SF in Doha | ATP Tour

Doha

Rublev does not give up and in his eighth MP he advances to SF in Doha

The champion in 2020 defeated favorite No. 2 of Miñaur this Thursday

February 20, 2025

Insist, persist and never give up. It is not always synonymous with success, but those four words are the key to get to him. And that was exactly the plan that Andrey Rublev drew on the Qatar Exxonmobil Open to advance to the semifinals.

The fifth standard head in Doha took a duel, in which he was close to winning endless times. But it was not until the eighth party point when he managed to defeat the favorite No. 2 Alex de Miñaur 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (8) in two hours and 39 minutes.

“When I had my first game point, I played very well,” Rublev recalled. “I did everything incredible and he played a fantastic point. He threw a setback to the line and played a good volley. Then he made a passing right to the line. In most matches, normally after those points, they win. ”

After distributing a set for each side, Rublev seemed to have controlled the game and the victory practically in the hand on the decisive set. The 27-year-old dominated the Australian 5-2, 30/40, but from Miñaur then took out his best repertoire to link three points in a row and save the first game point against.

“Then I started playing a little more tense and emotional, I had a little bad luck,” he continued. “Then, when I lost my service, I said:” Ok, if I’m going to lose, at least give your best version to the end. “

To the 🎱 it was the defeated 😮‍💨@AndreyRublev97 He took a ticket to Doha’s semifinals, after beating De Miñaur in his eighth MP 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (8).#Qatarexxonmobilopen pic.twitter.com/dyEAT4La3F

– ATP Tour en Español (@atppour_es) February 20, 2025

Rublev’s nerves increased when he saw that with his service he could not close the game with 5-3, 40/30. And not just that. Miñaur returned the Break, then matched the match, after saving another three match point for Rublev. With 5-5, they both won their game with the service to reach a dramatic Tie-Break.

The alternatives on the scoreboard followed. Rublev let out, once again, a 5/3 advantage and serve, to shortly after having to face his first game point against 5/6 to the rest. But he got it. He had to continue working because with 7/6, the Australian resisted. Also with 8/7. However, 9/8 – the eighth MP – was defining.

Rublev is presented in Doha’s semifinals for the fourth time in his career, after conquering the title in 2020, reaching the final in 2018 and making their way among the four best both in 2021 and this season. His good performance in the tournament, which in this edition premieres Category ATP 500, allows him to wear a 14-5 record.

Now the faces will be seen with the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, who advanced to the semifinals, after the champion in Doha 2023, Daniil Medvedev, was forced to retire with 6-3 on the scoreboard, after 31 minutes of play.

Auger-Aliassime became the first player who gets this season to advance semifinals three times. In addition to this week at the ATP 500 of Doha, he also did it in Adelaida and Montpellier, conquering the title in both scenarios.

It will be the seventh time that Rublev and Auger-Aliassime are face to face. At the moment, the Lexus ATP Head2head is favorable to No. 10 of the PIF Rankings 5-1.

Did you know what …?

Andrey Rublev achieved his first victory against a Top 10 since last August at the ATP Masters 1000 in Montreal, when he beat No. 1 Jannik Sinner. Since then it accumulated a 0-5 record against players of this level.