Tennis Recap: Lehecka Stuns Alcaraz, Rublev & Cerundolo Advance in ATP Action

The Qatar ExxonMobil Open and Rio Open saw major upsets and thrilling battles on Thursday, with Jiri Lehecka shocking top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz, Andrey Rublev edging Alex de Minaur, and Francisco Cerundolo continuing his strong form in Rio.

Here’s everything you need to know about the latest ATP action.

Qatar Open: Lehecka Stuns Alcaraz, Rublev Survives De Minaur Battle

🔥 Jiri Lehecka pulled off the biggest win of his career, upsetting top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz in a dramatic three-set match to reach the semifinals in Doha.

Lehecka (Czech Republic) def. Alcaraz (Spain) – 6-3, 3-6, 6-4

Lehecka trailed 4-2 in the final set but rallied to secure his first-ever Top 3 victory.
Struck eight aces and converted 4 of 8 break chances to seal the win.
Next up: Lehecka will face Jack Draper (Great Britain, No. 8 seed) in the semifinals.

🔥 Jack Draper outlasted Italy’s Matteo Berrettini in another tight match, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, setting up his semifinal showdown with Lehecka.

Rublev vs. De Minaur: Epic Tiebreak Decides Thriller

🇷🇺 Andrey Rublev (No. 5 seed) survived a marathon battle against No. 2 seed Alex de Minaur (Australia), winning 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (8) in a high-pressure quarterfinal clash.

De Minaur fought back after a rough first set and pushed Rublev to the limit.
The match was decided by an intense third-set tiebreak, where Rublev prevailed 10-8.
Next up: Rublev will face Felix Auger-Aliassime (Canada) in the semifinals.

🇨🇦 Felix Auger-Aliassime advanced after No. 4 seed Daniil Medvedev retired due to food poisoning after dropping the first set 6-3.

Rio Open: Cerundolo Keeps Rolling, Muller Upsets Etcheverry

Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo continued his dominance over Luciano Darderi, winning 6-7 (1), 6-3, 6-2 in the second round in Rio de Janeiro.

Cerundolo also beat Darderi last week in Buenos Aires en route to the final.
Faced just two break points all match and saved both to complete the comeback.
Strong baseline game and consistency helped him take control in the final two sets.

Other Second-Round Results:

✅ Alexandre Muller (France) def. Tomas Martin Etcheverry (Argentina, No. 8 seed) – 7-5, 7-6 (5)
✅ Camilo Ugo Carabelli (Argentina) def. Damir Dzumhur (Bosnia) – 6-4, 6-4
✅ Jaime Faria (Portugal) def. Jaume Munar (Spain) – 6-4, 2-6, 6-3

Final Takeaways: What’s Next?

🎾 Qatar Open Semifinals:

Jiri Lehecka vs. Jack Draper 🔥 (Can Lehecka continue his Cinderella run?)
Andrey Rublev vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime 🎾 (Rublev aims for another big win)

🎾 Rio Open Quarterfinals:

Francisco Cerundolo looking for another deep tournament run
Muller, Carabelli & Faria aiming to capitalize on their momentum

🔥 Which upset surprised you the most? Can Lehecka go all the way in Doha? Drop your predictions below! 🎾💬