Jack Draper 'really proud' of run to Qatar Open final, admits Andrey Rublev 'outlasted' him in Doha
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Updated 22/02/2025 at 19:40 GMT
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Jack Draper suffered a defeat in the fifth ATP Tour final of his career, losing in three sets to Andrey Rublev at the Qatar Open. After trading 7-5 scorelines in the opening two sets, Rublev surged away from the Briton, winning the decider 6-1 in Doha. After the match, Draper admitted that his opponent was "too good" and "outlasted" him, but was delighted with his exertions over the week.
Jack Draper pose on the podium with their trophies after the ATP Qatar Open tennis tournament final match in Doha on February 22, 2025.
Image credit: Getty Images
Jack Draper was beaten in the Qatar Open final by Andrey Rublev on Saturday, admitting afterwards that his opponent "outlasted" him.
Rublev took the ATP 500 title 7-5 5-7 6-1, as the Russian's superior stamina eventually paid dividends on the Doha hard court.
By beating Jiri Lehecka in three sets on Friday, Draper secured the fifth ATP Tour final of his career and his first of the new season.
And while Rublev was "too good" over the two hours and four minutes, according to the Briton, Draper was nevertheless impressed by his own performances throughout the week.
"It’s been an amazing week," said Draper. "Andrey was too good today. He outlasted me. We played some tough matches this week and in the third set he was just a bit too strong for me.
"I’m really proud of my efforts this week. Every day, I wake up and try to improve, so it’s a testament to my hard work I suppose."
Draper, entering the tournament as the eighth seed and leaving as a career-high world No. 12, also defeated Alexei Popyrin, Christopher O'Connell and Matteo Berrettini on his route to the final.
The 23-year-old is expected to compete at the Dubai Tennis Championships, which starts on Monday, February 24.
It was the first time Rublev had won the same tournament twice, and he admitted he was pushed hard by his British opponent.
"It feels amazing," said Rublev. "I’m really happy. I think both of us were really tired after two three-set matches that finished late.
"We were exhausted and it was difficult, but somehow we were able to play at a good level. When I lost the second set, I let it go and started to play more freely.
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"I played at a good level. In some moments, I was really good mentally and didn't let frustration get over me.
"As soon as I was frustrated, I was able to restart again and I was able to play at the same intensity. That’s the most important thing."
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