Andrey Rublev overcame a resilient Jack Draper to clinch his second Qatar Open title, securing a hard-fought 7-5, 5-7, 6-1 victory in Saturday’s final.
The 27-year-old Russian, who first won the Doha crown in 2020, showcased his mental toughness in the decisive set, breaking Draper twice to seal his first ATP title since Madrid last May.
“It feels amazing,” Rublev said. “It’s my first-ever title that I’ve won twice.”
Both players endured grueling quarter-final and semi-final battles, and fatigue was evident. “We were exhausted, but somehow we managed to play at a good level,” Rublev admitted.
Draper fought hard to level the match after dropping the first set, but Rublev raised his intensity in the third, dominating to wrap up the win in just over two hours.
“I was able to control my frustration and restart when I needed to,” Rublev added, as he celebrated his 17th ATP title.
