Félix Auger-Aliassime suffered his first late-round lack of 2025 by the hands of Andrey Rublev on Friday in Doha, bowing out of the Qatar Open semis in three units. Previous to Doha, the Canadian had gained each tournaments he performed the place he reached not less than the third spherical.
After receiving a walkover in spherical two and advancing through Daniil Medvedev’s retirement within the quarter-finals, Auger-Aliassime needed to ramp up the depth rapidly in opposition to the fifth-seeded Rublev. There was little between the 2 males as they dueled in a high-quality affair, however in the long run, Rublev was a bit extra clutch when it mattered most, ending the Canadian’s run with a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(5) win.
It was a powerful serving efficiency by each males. Auger-Aliassime had 21 aces however Rublev was the extra constant, placing 70 per cent of his first serves in play and profitable 84 per cent of these factors. Every man solely managed to interrupt as soon as. Rublev gained simply three extra factors within the two-hour, 46-minute conflict.
Early on, the alternatives to attain a break had been there for Auger-Aliassime. At 1-1, Rublev double-faulted to offer the Canadian a break level however he redeemed himself with an ace. In his subsequent service recreation at 30-all, Rublev misplaced a lob within the lights and fully missed the ball on his smash try to offer the Canadian a break level. Nonetheless, he as soon as once more responded properly, firing a forehand winner to reserve it.
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Later within the set, it was Rublev’s flip to begin having probabilities to interrupt. At 4-5, with Auger-Aliassime serving to remain within the set, the fifth seed had 4 probabilities to interrupt. The Montrealer saved all of them, however he discovered himself dealing with a set level on his personal serve once more at 5-6 and this time missed a forehand properly large to give up the break and the set.
Auger-Aliassime was unphased by the late break and he rapidly flipped the momentum early within the second. At 1-1, he crushed a forehand return to go up love-40 and on the second break level, one other massive forehand arrange a smash winner to safe his first break of the day.
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With the lead, the Canadian locked in on serve. He needed to save a break level at 4-3 however that was the one probability Rublev needed to get again within the set. When it got here time to serve out the set, he closed it out to like.
Each males had probabilities to interrupt early within the decider however neither transformed. Like the primary set, Rublev utilized some late stress, holding a match level on Auger-Aliassime’s serve at 5-6, 30-40 however fired a forehand large on the finish of a hard-hitting rally.
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In the long run, a single miss determined the match within the tiebreak. At 1-1 on his personal serve, the Canadian despatched a forehand lengthy which proved to be the one minibreak of the breaker. Auger-Aliassime saved two extra match factors on his personal serve however when Rublev lastly had one on his personal supply, he lastly put the Canadian away.
With the loss, the Canadian falls to 1-6 in his profession in opposition to Rublev. Auger-Aliassime is predicted to compete subsequent week on the ATP 500 occasion in Dubai.
