Nigeria: Alcaraz crashes out of Qatar Open
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria
Carlos Alcaraz has been eliminated from the Qatar Open in the quarter-finals, losing to Jiri Lehecka. The Spaniard, who was on a seven-match winning streak, dropped the first set but recovered to level before ultimately losing 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
Lehecka, ranked 25th in the world, won the final four games to secure the victory. “I feel great,” said Lehecka. “To win a match like that against a player like this is a super big achievement.”
Lehecka will face either British eighth seed Jack Draper or Italy’s Matteo Berrettini in the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Andrey Rublev converted his eighth match point to defeat Alex de Minaur 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (10/8) and reach the semi-finals.
Rublev, the 2025 Qatar winner, will face Felix Auger-Aliassime, who led 6-3 when Daniil Medvedev retired from their quarter-final match.
