Russian Andrei Rublev, seeded first in the quarter-finals of the Doha International Tennis Tournament, lost to promising Czech Jiri Lichka 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, on Thursday.
And the 21-year-old Lehicka succeeded in avenging his first confrontation loss against Rublev last year in the final price of the Belgrade tournament.
Lehicka, seeking his first international title, needed an hour and 41 minutes to restore consideration to the fifth-ranked Russian in the world, crowned with 12 titles in his career so far, including the Doha tournament in 2020 after he finished runner-up in 2018, after losing to Frenchman Gael Monfils.
It is Hitchka’s second victory over one of the top ten in the world rankings during his professional career, after the dawn of a heavy-caliber surprise earlier this year by defeating Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, seventh in the world, in the final price of the Australian Open, the first of the four major tournaments, in Melbourne.
In the semi-finals, Lehicka will meet British wildcard Andy Murray, who beat French qualifier Alexandre Muller 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.
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