Reigning Champ Rublev Primed For Another Doha Title Run

Andrey Rublev
Andrey Rublev (photo: Qatar ExxonMobil Open)

DOHA/WASHINGTON, February 19, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)

Reigning Qatar ExxonMobil Open champion Andrey Rublev has flown under the radar throughout much of this week, allowing top seeds Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner to enjoy the spotlight, as he attempts to become the first back-to-back Doha champion since Novak Djokovic in 2016-17.

Although the fifth-seeded Rublev scored a couple of straight-set victories, against 86th-ranked Jesper de Jong of the Netherlands and No. 48 Fabian Marozsan of Hungary, in the run-up to Thursday’s quarterfinal round, the World No. 14 from Russia hadn’t really been tested until taking on 33rd-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Meeting for the 12th time overall but just the first time since 2022 – and with the Greek star leading their head-to-head 6-5 – Rublev had won four of their seven hard-court encounters. He brought a seven-match Doha winning streak into their last eight meeting after winning last year’s title – his second in Doha, which followed lifting the glittering golden falcon trophy in 2020.

By the end of their one-hour, 35-minute quarterfinal tussle, Rublev increased his Doha winning streak to eight with a 6-3, 7-6 (2) high-quality victory. He is yet to drop a set through his first three matches this week.

Rublev displayed a strong forehand stroke that accounted for 25 winners against just 12 unforced errors. He converted two of two break points and saved all five break points he faced from Tsitsipas. Rublev outpointed his opponent 71-61.

“Stefanos is one of the best players and he’s proven that for so many years,” Rublev said during his on-court interview, in praise of his opponent. “He has amazing results. We’ve known each other for a long, long time. His game is very difficult. He likes to dictate with the forehand; I like to dictate with the forehand. It was going to be whoever does it first.”

Asked what he was most pleased about from his quarterfinal victory, Rublev didn’t hesitate when he answered: “That I was able to hold my serve.” Indeed, he saved four break points during a lengthy 16-point sixth game in the opening set. Then, he saved another one in his next service game.

“I’m glad I was able to save them,” he said.

Alcaraz goes the distance to remain undefeated in 2026

In Friday’s semifinal round, Rublev will face World No. 1 and top seed Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, who was pushed hard by No. 7 seed Karen Khachanov of Russia, the 2024 Doha champion, before prevailing 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-3 in two hours and 26 minutes Thursday evening.

Alcaraz extended his current winning streak to 10 matches – he’s undefeated this season – and he’s now 6-0 lifetime against Khachanov. Since bowing in last year’s quarterfinal round to Jiri Lehecka in Doha, Alcaraz has gone 12-0 in tour-level last eight matches. 

Although Khachanov saved a couple of match points during his final service game, Alcaraz put away the victory after securing one final seven-shot rally. The 22-year-old Spaniard finished with 41 winners to offset 34 unforced errors, controlled the net by winning 21 of 29 exchanges, and converted three of 10 break points. He outpointed Khachanov 105-97.

“It was a really close and tight match,” Alcaraz said during his on-court interview. “In the first set I had a few break points and I couldn’t make them. One set point and I couldn’t make it, so it was really tough.

“I think Karen was playing great, but I knew I’d had my chances. I just didn’t take them in the first set, so it was the time to keep going and try to keep fighting. Wait for my chances and try to take them in the second set. I’m just really proud about the way that I [fought].”

Fils winning with experience on his side

Meanwhile, as Czech No. 2 Jiri Lehecka bid to become just the fifth player in tournament history to advance to the semifinals in each of his first three appearances – joining Andy Murray, Ivan Ljubicic, Stefan Edberg and Goran Ivanisevic – his opponent, Arthur Fils, linked up with the Croatian great Ivanisevic this week in Doha in an attempt for the Frenchman to reach his first ATP Tour semifinal of the season.

With Invanisevic, a former World No. 2 and 2001 Wimbledon champion, in his corner, the 40th-ranked Fils has strung together a trio of winning performances, including his 6-3, 6-3 victory over Lehecka, completed in an hour and 29 minutes.

“Hell of a champion, winner of a Slam, and he coached a lot of guys, a lot of champions actually,” the 21-year-old Fils said during an interview with ATP Media on Wednesday. “He’s helping me during the season. We are going to try [it out,] but I think it’s good for me. It’s maybe the best for me to have his experience as a coach and as a player. So very, very happy that he joined us during this long journey.”

Throughout his quarterfinal match, Fils got off to a fast start, won all of the big points, and it paid off for him. He broke the No. 22 Lehecka’s serve twice to win the opening set and broke him, again, to open the second set. By the end, Fils had marched into the last four – his first ATP Tour semifinal since last year in Barcelona – after breaking Lehecka’s serve for the fifth time in 10 opportunities. He outpointed his opponent 76-60, taking advantage of 32 unforced errors.

Mensik upsets Sinner for his fourth Top-5 triumph

Next, Fils, who is playing in his third straight tournament in three weeks since returning from a lower back injury that sidelined him much of the second half of the 2025 season, will face another Czech, World No. 16 and sixth seed Jakub Mensik, who upset World No. 2 and second seed Jannik Sinner of Italy, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-3, in two hours and 11 minutes in a quarterfinal that ended well after midnight. It was their first career meeting.

Sinner, who was making his tournament debut, had advanced to the quarterfinals or better in 19 of 20 hard-court events he’s played in since the start of the 2024 season. However, Mensik pulled off the biggest win of his career and became the first Czech in eight attempts to defeat Sinner – and it was the fourth Top-5 victory of his career.

At a set each, Mensik broke Sinner to open the third set and it stood up the rest of the way. Mensik struck 28 winners – including 11 aces – to 17 unforced errors and converted two of four break points. He won 82 percent (49 of 60) of his first-serve points. Sinner, who outpointed Mensik 89-86, hit 21 winners and made 14 unforced errors. He won only 72 percent (41 of 57) of his first-serve points.

Mensik, who earlier this season won the title at Auckland, improved to 11-2, and is through to his fifth ATP Tour semifinal (3-1) – his fourth on hard courts – while Sinner drops to 7-2. 

“Before the match I knew about Jannik’s quality. A great guy, a great champion,” Mensik said during his on-court interview. “Already what he has done in his young career, it’s pretty impressive, so I knew it was going to be a tough one. But even with that thought, I came to the match to win it, and actually having a winning mindset.

“I served pretty good, even if the conditions were starting to get slower during the night. It was a very tough mental battle. After the second set, when I dropped my energy a little bit, I’m really happy that I came back after the toilet break and from the beginning of the third set, I just started to serve well again. I’m just happy with the performance I showed today.”

Around the Khalifa Tennis Complex

Top seeds Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool of Great Britain advanced to their second doubles final of 2026 with a 6-2, 6-3 win over French qualifiers Quentin Halys and Pierre-Hugues Herbert in 62 minutes. The British duo converted five of five break points and outpointed their opponents 53-45.

Cash and Glasspool will take an 8-3 win-loss record into Friday’s Doha title match. They will face No. 3 seeds Harri Heliovaara of Finland and Henry Patten of Great Britain, who eased past Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori of Italy, 7-5, 6-4, in one hour and 28 minutes for their ninth win in 10 matches this season in the other semifinal.

The Finn/British pair converted four of seven break-point chances and outpointed Bolelli and Vavassori 67-54 to advance to their second final of the season.

Thursday’s Doha results

Friday’s Doha order of play

By the numbers

Since the ATP 500 series began in 2009, Andrey Rublev has compiled 108 victories at 500-series level, which is fifth most all-time. He trails Rafael Nadal (121), David Ferrer and Alexander Zverev (116 each) and Roger Federer (111).

“Quotable …”

“It was a weird condition. I had played twice on the Grandstand and the Center Court is a little bit different. The balls are getting very tired very fast. For me, it was very tough to hit some winners.”

– Arthur Fils of France, during his on-court interview after defeating Jiri Lehecka of Czechia to reach the semifinal round.

 

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