British number one Jack Draper fought back from a set down to secure a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Matteo Berrettini and reach the Qatar Open semi-finals.
Berrettini, a former Wimbledon finalist, took the first set, but Draper, the world number 16, showed impressive resilience to battle back and take control in the next two sets. Despite some early frustration, Draper regained his composure and clinched the win after a determined performance.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Draper reflected on his hard-earned victory: “I felt in the second set I was knocking on the door and not quite taking my opportunities, but I stayed strong. It was such a tough battle against such a great player. In Australia, I was very proud of my efforts because I got to the fourth round without playing any tennis in the off-season. I’ve worked really hard with my coach and on my fitness, and I’m just glad to find a better level this week, playing matches, and getting my confidence back.”
Draper will next face Jiri Lehecka in the semi-finals after the Czech player claimed a surprise 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 win over top seed Carlos Alcaraz. The victory marked only Alcaraz’s second defeat of the year, following his loss to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open quarter-finals.
In other quarter-final action, Andrey Rublev triumphed over second seed Alex de Minaur, winning 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (10-8) to secure a spot in the semi-finals. Rublev will now meet Felix Auger-Aliassime, who advanced after Daniil Medvedev was forced to retire due to illness, giving the Canadian a walkover.
