Jack Draper showcased resilience and determination as he battled past Matteo Berrettini to reach the semi-finals of the Qatar Open in Doha. The British No. 1, making his return after a month-long layoff due to a hip injury, fought back from a set down to defeat the experienced Italian 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a grueling contest. His reward is a semi-final clash against Jiri Lehecka, who stunned world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz in a dramatic three-set match.
Draper had a shaky start, dropping his serve in the third game of the opening set, which ultimately proved costly as Berrettini held firm to take the lead. However, the 22-year-old Brit responded strongly in the second, securing a crucial break at 5-4 to level the match. In the decider, Draper ramped up the pressure, breaking Berrettini early to move 3-1 ahead. He then displayed composure to fend off a break point at 5-2 before confidently serving out the match, sealing an impressive victory.
Meanwhile, Lehecka produced one of the biggest upsets of the tournament by knocking out Alcaraz in a thrilling 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 encounter. The Czech player, ranked 25th in the world, demonstrated immense grit and firepower, recovering from a break down in the first set to turn the tide with two breaks of his own. Although Alcaraz fought back in the second, leveling the match, Lehecka refused to back down. The 22-year-old found himself trailing 4-2 in the decider but staged a stunning comeback, breaking the Wimbledon champion twice in succession to clinch the victory. It was his first-ever win against a top-three player and a significant statement of intent.
Elsewhere, Felix Auger-Aliassime secured his place in the semi-finals after Daniil Medvedev was forced to retire due to food poisoning. The world No. 6 had dropped the opening set 6-3 before deciding he could not continue, allowing Auger-Aliassime to advance. The Canadian had already benefited from a walkover in the previous round after his opponent, Hamad Medjedovic, withdrew from the tournament.
Auger-Aliassime’s next challenge will be Andrey Rublev, who came through a tense battle against Australian second seed Alex de Minaur. The world No. 10 made a flying start, taking the first set 6-1, but de Minaur responded by edging the second 6-3. The deciding set saw both players locked in a tight contest that eventually required a tie-break, where Rublev held his nerve to prevail 7-6 (8).
With Draper’s resurgence, Lehecka’s breakthrough, and the unpredictable nature of the tournament, the semi-finals promise to deliver even more drama in Doha.
