Jannik Sinner e Carlos Alcaraz they will not face each other in the final, as the prediction suggested, in the tournament ATP 500 Doha, in Qatar. Surprisingly, the Italian world number 2 was eliminated in the quarterfinals by the Czech Jakub Mensik, who won in three sets with the score of 7-6, 2-6, 6-3, in just over two hours of play. The world no. 1 also needed three sets (6-7, 6-4, 6-3) to overcome the resistance of the Russian Karen Kachanov, who failed to achieve the feat achieved by the twenty-year-old Czech, currently world number 16 but certainly a talent destined to grow a lot.
Sinner, Doha bitter
After the defeat in the semi-final in Melbourne against Novak DjokovicSinner was expected to return to the court to play a part of the season that was denied him last year by the suspension agreed with WADA for the Clostebol case. The start was not positive, but he will soon be able to make up for it in the Masters 1000 in the United States, in Indian Wells and Miami.
Sinner, what happened?
The Italian found in the world number 16 a a highly respectable opponent, a powerful serve and precise rallies. The first set went game by game, without a break until 6-6, and in the deciding game the Czech won 7-3. After nearly being broken at the start of the second set, Sinner changed gear, also aided by a decline in his opponent's form, and broke him twice in a row, winning 6-2. In the third, the unexpected turnMensik immediately broke the Italian and held it until the ninth game, when he broke the Italian's serve again, securing his most prestigious victory. Mensik's penultimate match involves a clash with Frenchman Arthur Fils (no. 40) – who returned to action two weeks ago after a six-month injury break – who defeated Czech Jiri Lehecka (no. 22) 6-3, 6-3.
Sinner and Mensik were supposed to take to the court, as scheduled, at 19pm Italian time, but they had to wait quite a while due to theunexpected prolongation of the challenge between Alcaraz and KachanovThe Spaniard found himself forced to battle for two and a half hours to get the better of his opponent who was coming from behind.
Doha, who will Alcaraz play against?
Now to reach the final Alcaraz will have to face another Russian, Andrey rublev, the tournament's reigning champion. The current ATP number 18 reached the semifinals by beating Stefanos Tsitsipas, with the score of 6-3, 7-6.
Doubles, Bolelli and Vavassori out
In the doubles tournament, however, the path of Simon Bolelli e Andrea VavassoriThe two Italians had to bow to the only team capable of beating them twice, the one formed by the Finn Harri Heliovaara and from the British Henry PattenIt had already happened in January, in Adelaide, and before that at the Finals in Turin, again in the semifinals. The same scenario was repeated in Qatar, and the Azzurri's rivals will now reach the final, having once again emerged victorious in straight sets with a score of 7-5, 6-4.
