Rublev and Monfils in Qatar final as flu forces Thiem out

DOHA: World No. 5 Dominic Thiem dramatically pulled out of the Qatar Open because of illness just hours before he was due on court to play his semi-final.

In an official statement, Thiem said he had flu and a “very high fever”.

The tournament’s top seed was due to play Frenchman Gael Monfils. Instead, wild card Monfils proceeds straight to the final.

There he will meet rising Russian star Andrey Rublev, who saved a match point before beating Argentina’s Guido Pella 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-2).

“It is highly regrettable that I won’t be able to play the semi-final match against Gael,” said Thiem.

“As much as I would have loved to honor the match but the current status of my health wouldn’t permit me. I’m down with flu and I hope to recover as soon as possible.”

The 24-year-old Austrian was the only seed left in the competition and had yet to drop a set on his way to the last four.

He had beaten Evgeny Donskoy, Aljaz Bedene and Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets.

He had been as impressive as Rublev who hit 40 winners and saved one match point in the tenth game of the final set on Friday to secure his place in the final.

It will be the Russian’s third career final.

The 20-year-old is the current world No. 39 but his ranking will rise to at least 33 after Doha and will be seeded at the Australian Open in only his second appearance in Melbourne because of injuries to other players.

“I am very happy, I don’t even know what to say because I didn’t expect this result,” said Rublev. — AFP