Dubai Open: Bublik moves into semi-finals, breaks into top 20 for first time

Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik, the No 7 seed, moved into the semi-finals of the Dubai Open after Jiri Lehecka retired on Thursday at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre.

Bublik, ranked No 23, led 6-4, 4-1 when Lehecka, ranked No 36, pulled out of the quarter-final match.

The Kazakh will play the winner of the quarter-final between American Sebastian Korda and Russian Andrey Rublev, the second seed, next.

The result takes Bublik into his third semi-final of the season and will take him inside the world’s top 20 for the first time next week.

Bublik edged out qualifier Tomas Machac (2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5)) and beat Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor (7-6 (8), 7-6 (2)) earlier in the tournament.

In the previous rounds of the tournament, Lehecka edged out Hungarian qualifier Marton Fucsovics (6-4, 3-6, 7-5) and Russian Karen Khachanov, the No 4 seed (6-7 (6), 7-6 (5), 6-4).

Dubai ATP 500, other quarter-final matches (Aviation Club Tennis Centre, hard, USD 2,941,785):

• Hubert Hurkacz vs. Ugo Humbert
• Daniil Medvedev vs. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
• Sebastian Korda vs. Andrey Rublev

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