Rublev edges Auger-Aliassime to reach Qatar Open final

The 10th-ranked Rublev, who'd had to endure de Minaur saving seven match points on Thursday before he finally prevailed in a third-set tiebreak, this time needed four match points to close out No.23 Auger-Aliassime for the sixth time in seven match-ups.

The Doha winner in 2020 and beaten finalist in 2018, Rublev had to withstand 21 aces from the Canadian over the near three-hour match.

"It took everything. It was super tough today," Rublev said. 

"He was serving well and I was just saying, 'Okay, I cannot do much, this is one of the best servers on tour. I just need to try to guess and when I have a moment, just go for it.'"

In his 27th career final and first since August, Rubleve will play the winner of the other semifinal between eighth seed Jack Draper and Jiri Lehecka, who eliminated Carlos Alcaraz on Thursday.