Karen Khachanov, Jakub Mensik to meet in Doha final

Field Level Media|published: Fri 23rd February, 16:26 2024

Aug 29, 2023; Flushing, NY, USA; Karen Khachanov in action against Michael Mmoh of the United States on day two of the 2023 U.S. Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. credits: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

No. 2 seed Karen Khachanov of Russia won a marathon first-set tiebreaker and advanced past Australia's Alexei Popyrin 7-6 (12), 6-2 in the semifinals of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open on Friday in Doha.

Khachanov will face Jakub Mensik in the final after the Czech native beat Frenchman Gael Monfils 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.

Khachanov won the first four points of his first-set tiebreaker but let Popyrin right back in it, leading to a 6-5 deficit. The Russian saved the first of three set points he faced in the tiebreaker, but he did not finish the job until his fifth set point at 13-12.

Despite Popyrin having a 35-23 advantage in winners, Khachanov had just four unforced errors to Popyrin's 14 and won 55.6 percent of the total points (79 of 142).

Mensik, who upset top-seeded Andrey Rublev of Russia in the previous round, saved nine of 12 break points against Monfils. Mensik is ranked No. 116 in the world.

—Field Level Media

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