{"id":492212,"date":"2026-02-20T10:43:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T10:43:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/492212\/"},"modified":"2026-02-20T10:43:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T10:43:15","slug":"mensik-upsets-sinner-to-reach-qatar-semi-finals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/492212\/","title":{"rendered":"Mensik upsets Sinner to reach Qatar semi-finals"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jakub Mensik prevented Jannik Sinner from reaching another final as he knocked the world number two out of the Qatar Open quarter-finals.<\/p>\n

The sixth seed from the Czech Republic edged the first set and, although Sinner levelled, 20-year-old Mensik took the decider to win 7-6 (7-3) 2-6 6-3.<\/p>\n

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That ended a run of 22 wins from 23 matches for Sinner, with his only defeat coming against Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semi-finals last month.<\/a><\/p>\n

The 24-year-old Italian reached 10 finals in 2025, winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles, but was upset by world number 16 Mensik in Thursday’s first meeting in Doha.<\/p>\n

He will now face unseeded Frenchman Arthur Fils, who beat Mensik’s compatriot Jiri Lehecka 6-3 6-3, for the chance to play in a fourth ATP final and his second in 2026, having won last month’s Auckland Open for a second career title.<\/p>\n

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World number one Carlos Alcaraz will meet defending champion Andrey Rublev in the other semi-final after both won their last-eight ties.<\/p>\n

Top seed Alcaraz came from behind to beat Karen Khachanov 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 6-3 and stretch his winning start to the year to 10 matches, having won the Australian Open<\/a> to become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam.<\/p>\n

Next up for the 22-year-old Spaniard is Rublev, with the Russian fifth seed having beaten Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3 7-6 (7-2).<\/p>\n

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British pair Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool also have a chance to retain their crown, with one of their seven doubles titles from 2025 coming at the Qatar Open.<\/p>\n

They beat compatriots Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski to win last year’s title in Doha and there will be three Britons in the 2026 final.<\/p>\n

Top seeds Cash and Glasspool booked their return after beating the French pair of Quentin Halys and Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-2 6-3 in the semi-finals.<\/p>\n

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They will now face the third seeds, compatriot Henry Patten and Finland’s Harri Heliovaara, who claimed a 7-5 6-4 win over Italy’s Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori.<\/p>\n

Gauff and Pegula progress in Dubai<\/p>\n

After a string of withdrawals at the Dubai Tennis Championships,<\/a> four of the top seven seeds have reached the semi-finals.<\/p>\n

Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina recovered from a set down to beat Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic, who reached the last eight after qualifying as a lucky loser and upsetting Britain’s Emma Raducanu.<\/p>\n

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The world number nine won 3-6 6-2 6-3 on Thursday and will face American Coco Gauff for a place in the final in the UAE.<\/p>\n

The third seed needed just 69 minutes to get past Alexandra Eala, claiming a 6-0 6-2 victory over the unseeded Filipino.<\/p>\n

Jessica Pegula needed three sets to overcome Denmark’s Clara Tauson, with the fourth seed coming through 6-3 2-6 6-4.<\/p>\n

She will now face fellow American Amanda Anisimova after the second seed fought back to beat fifth seed and defending champion Mirra Andreeva 2-6 7-5 7-6 (7-4).<\/p>\n

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