DOHA, Qatar — High-seeded Carlos Alcaraz misplaced for under the second time this yr on Thursday when Twenty fifth-ranked Jiri Lehecka beat him 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 within the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open.
Alcaraz’s different defeat in 2025 was to Novak Djokovic within the Australian Open quarterfinals. The 21-year-old Spaniard, ranked No. 3, gained the Rotterdam Open earlier this month.
The 23-year-old Lehecka, who’s from the Czech Republic, now will face both eighth-seeded Jack Draper or Matteo Berrettini.
“The match was up and down for the reason that starting,” Lehecka mentioned after beating Alcaraz. “So for me to win a match like that in opposition to a participant like it is a tremendous huge achievement. I believed in myself. I knew that I had the extent to supply that form of tennis.
“I did not again down,” he continued. “I wished to push him to his limits. The best way I trusted my sport was the important thing right this moment.”
Earlier, fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev saved one match level and wanted eight of his personal to subdue second-seeded Alex de Minaur 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (8). Rublev reached his fourth semifinals in Doha, the place he gained the title in 2020.
He’ll subsequent face Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, who beat Daniil Medvedev when the Russian retired after dropping the primary set 6-3.
“Sadly, I had meals poisoning. Very dissatisfied to finish my run right here in Doha like this as I really feel like I used to be taking part in properly,” Medvedev mentioned in a press release.
Auger-Aliassime mentioned on court docket he thought Medvedev was “taking part in regular” till he retired.
“After which I broke, I held my serve. And he simply instructed (the umpire) that he did not wish to shake our fingers as a result of he was sick. I hope it is nothing too unhealthy. I used to be stunned,” the Canadian mentioned.
