Jack Draper says form no longer ‘all over the place’ after reaching Doha final with comeback victory

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Britain’s Jack Draper made his first final of the year at the Qatar Open after beating Jiri Lehecka in three sets at the ATP 500 tournament. Lehecka had caused a big upset by beating Carlos Alcaraz in the previous round, but could not back up that victory against Draper despite winning the opening set. Draper will take on Andrey Rublev in the final as he seeks his first trophy of the year.

Jack Draper of Great Britain celebrates

Image credit: Getty Images

Jack Draper put his injury woes behind him to make it to the final of the ATP 500 Qatar Open in Doha, where he will play Andrey Rublev.

Draper had a troubled off-season with a hip issue, which eventually caused him to retire from his fourth round match in the Australian Open against Carlos Alcaraz.

Having been forced to cancel his off-season training camp, Draper came into Melbourne under-prepared, but astounded many by winning three five-set matches before his physical problems caught up with him against Alcaraz.

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But barely a month later, Draper looks back to full fitness - and he is back in with a chance of collecting more silverware.

Draper had already recorded a good victory over Matteo Berrettini in the quarter-finals in Doha, but looked in trouble when he dropped the opening set against a fired-up Jiri Lehecka.

But some exquisite show-making, including a winner down the line when the Czech player was at the net, helped Draper take the second set and from there he looked much more in control as he won 3-6 7-6(2) 6-3.

"I just thought in the first set I put in a sloppy game, Jiri [Lehecka] comes out with such firepower," explained Draper in his on-court interview.

"Like the last match, I was starting to hold a bit easier, I was feeling more and more positive about my tennis, I was feeling better as the match wore on.

"[At the] end of last year I started to pick up some real momentum, I was building and then I couldn't play for a month.

"In Australia, my tennis was all over the place but it gave me confidence coming through those five-setters, building on the fitness and the confidence, and coming here I felt better about my tennis and my body."

Draper revealed after Melbourne that the main issue was tendonitis in his hip, but whatever he has done since the opening Grand Slam of the season has seemingly worked.

Two straight sets wins have been followed by two three-setters, but the Briton still looks fresh and raring to go.

Next up for Draper, as he bids to win his first trophy of the year and third of his career, is a match-up with Rublev. He has yet to beat Rublev in three attempts, but the duo have not met since the US Open in 2023, with 2024 Draper’s breakout year.

"I’m definitely a different player since I last played him," Draper added.

"At the end of the day he’s a top 10 player, someone I respect massively. Someone who’s been top 10 for many years now.

"He’s going to come out and play incredibly well. I watched him play here this week. He’s there every ball. So I’ll be ready for that one. I look forward to the match and what’s to come."

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