Rublev in third Qatar Open final, faces Draper for title

Russia's Andrey Rublev celebrates winning his semifinal against Canada's Felix Auger- Aliassime at the Qatar Open Friday. (Reuters)
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Updated 22 February 2025
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Rublev in third Qatar Open final, faces Draper for title

  • Rublev: It took everything. It was super tough today
  • Left-handed Draper will be seeking his third career title but will have to overturn a losing 3-0 head-to-head record to depose the Russian

DOHA: Russia’s Andrey Rublev reached his third Qatar Open final on Friday after a “super tough” three-set triumph over Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada.

Fifth-seeded Rublev, the 2020 champion at the Gulf tournament, battled to a 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) win over Auger-Aliassime, who fired down 21 aces in the two-hour, 47-minute semfinal.

“It took everything. It was super tough today,” said Rublev whose most recent final appearance was in Montreal last August.

“I felt like there was not much I can do if he is serving like that. I just needed to be really lucky to break him. He was serving well and I was just saying, ‘Okay, I cannot do much, this is one of the best servers on Tour. I just need to try to guess and when I have a moment, just go for it’.”

Rublev, who was also a runner-up in Doha in 2018, secured victory on Friday on a fourth match point. In his quarterfinal dismissal of second seed Alex de Minaur on Thursday, he had needed twice as many.

The Russian won the last of his 16 ATP titles on clay in Madrid in May 2024.

On Saturday, the 27-year-old will tackle British eighth seed Jack Draper for the title.

Draper defeated Carlos Alcaraz’s conquerer Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 on the back of 14 aces to reach his fifth final.

Left-handed Draper will be seeking his third career title but will have to overturn a losing 3-0 head-to-head record to depose the Russian.

The 23-year-old is already assured of attaining the best ranking of his career after this week.

A US Open semifinalist in 2024, Draper will rise from 16 in the world to 11 if he wins the Qatar title and 12th as runner-up.


Liverpool rocked by last-gasp defeat at Wolves

Updated 8 sec ago
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Liverpool rocked by last-gasp defeat at Wolves

  • Liverpool’s first defeat in five games in all competitions will raise fresh questions about Slot’s Anfield future

LONDON: Liverpool suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat at Wolves as Andre’s stoppage-time strike sealed a dramatic victory for the Premier League’s bottom club on Tuesday.
Arne Slot’s side fell behind to Rodrigo Gomes’ strike in the closing stages at Molineux.
Mohamed Salah hauled Liverpool level with his first goal in 11 top-flight games dating back to November.
But Andre’s first goal for Wolves inflicted the latest humbling loss in a chastening season for Liverpool.
It was the first time the Premier League’s bottom club had beaten the reigning champions since Crystal Palace defeated Chelsea in 2017.
Liverpool have conceded 14 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, with only Newcastle shipping more in the same period in the Premier League.
The Reds remain fifth but their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League have been hurt by a defeat that means sixth-placed Chelsea will go above them if they beat Aston Villa on Wednesday.
Liverpool’s first defeat in five games in all competitions will raise fresh questions about Slot’s Anfield future.
This was the first of Liverpool’s two trips to Molineux in the space of four days, with an immediate chance for revenge in the FA Cup fifth round on Friday.
Slot this week said he no longer finds Premier League matches a “joy to watch” due to the rise in set-piece goals, and Liverpool supporters took no pleasure from this dismal performance.
Wolves and Liverpool fans joined in a sustained round of applause on 18 minutes in memory of Diogo Jota, who wore that shirt number during his time at Molineux before joining the Reds.
Portugal forward Jota died in a car crash in Spain last year.

Crest-fallen Slot

That emotional tribute seemed to suck the energy from both teams in a scrappy first half.
Liverpool were punished for their lethargy in the 78th minute.
Tolu Arokodare got away with a nudge on Virgil van Dijk to win the ball before playing a superb pass to Rodrigo Gomes, who held off Ibrahima Konate and guided a clinical finish past Alisson Becker.
Liverpool finally awoke from their slumber after that shock, grabbing an equalizer in the 83rd minute with a helping hand from Wolves.
Wolves midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde was guilty of a woeful pass that Salah intercepted, racing into the area for a shot that eluded Jose Sa’s weak attempted save.
Salah has scored just eight goals — five in the league — during a turbulent season.
Liverpool were still creaky at the back and Andre pounced on Alisson’s poor clearance four minutes to steal the points in stoppage-time.
Andre’s powerful strike deflected off Liverpool defender Joe Gomez and looped over the wrong-footed Alisson as Wolves boss Rob Edwards sprinted down the touchline in a wild celebration while Slot looked on crestfallen.
Wolves are 11 points from safety with eight games left and relegation remains almost certain despite this memorable victory.
Everton ended their dismal home form and pushed Burnley closer to relegation with a 2-0 win at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Buoyed by their 3-2 win at Newcastle last weekend, Everton dispatched second-bottom Burnley with their first win in eight home league matches.
Former Burnley defender James Tarkowski put Everton in front with a powerful header from James Garner’s 32nd minute free-kick.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall doubled Everton’s advantage on the hour taking Iliman Ndiaye’s pass and clipping a composed finish past Martin Dubravka from six yards.
Everton remain in contention for a European berth, while Burnley are eight points from safety with just nine games left.
Habib Diarra’s penalty fired Sunderland to a 1-0 victory against Leeds on their first Premier League visit to Elland Road since 2002.
Bournemouth and Brentford shared a goalless draw at the Vitality Stadium that did little to improve either side’s hopes of qualifying for Europe.