In 2023, Andrey Rublev humorously referred to himself as “Picasso” while showing off his ‘holiday-themed’ wrapping job on his tennis racquet. At the time, the Russian player, who was a 12-time tour-level champion, likely had dreams of becoming the tennis equivalent of Picasso. Fast forward to yesterday, and the World No. 10 turned that creativity into success, securing his second Doha title with a dominant win over Jack Draper. His performance on the court caught the attention of Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, who offered heartfelt congratulations to Rublev after his victory at the Qatar Open.
Rublev’s 2025 season didn’t start as planned. He was knocked out in the first round of the Australian Open by Joao Fonseca in straight sets. Although he reached the quarterfinals in Rotterdam, he lost to Hubert Hurkacz despite winning the first set. However, his fortunes began to change at the Open Occitanie, where he made it to the semifinals. By the time he arrived in Qatar, Rublev found his rhythm. From his Round of 32 match onward, Rublev seemed determined. He moved through the draw with confidence, even overcoming a tough semifinal match against Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime. Then, in the final against Britain’s Jack Draper, Rublev entered with a 3-0 head-to-head advantage.
The final match was intense. Despite Draper starting strong, Rublev took the first set 7-5. Draper responded in the second set, winning 7-5 to force a decider. But in the third set, Rublev showed his strength, dominating with a 6-1 score. He finished the match in just over two hours, hitting 34 winners. This victory marked his second Doha title, his first being in 2020. Rublev also extended his head-to-head record against Draper to 4-0.
After the match, Novak Djokovic, a fellow tennis star, offered his congratulations to Rublev, acknowledging his impressive achievement.