Emphasising the upgraded status of the Qatar Open to 500, Qatar Tennis Federation’s secretary-general revealed that the tournament will join the elite 16 tournaments in its category from the next edition and increase financial prizes.
World number 17 Karen Khachanov clinched his sixth ATP tour title by defeating 18-year-old Czech prodigy Jakub Mensik in a gripping encounter, ending with a 7-6 (14-12), 6-4 victory.
27-year-old Khachanov demonstrated his prowess throughout the tournament, not dropping a single set on his way to securing the Doha crown. Mensik, in turn, made history as the first teenager to reach the Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2024 final, showcasing his remarkable talent.
The final match saw Mensik deliver an impressive performance, hammering 16 aces. Khachanov, acknowledging Mensik’s powerful play, said “For a minute, I thought I was playing John Isner and not Jakub Mensik today,” in his on-court interview as quoted by ATP.
The Russian player, after saving four set chances in the first set, seized the lead in the fourth game with a forehand return at 12/13 on Mensik’s second serve. In the second set, Khachanov capitalised on his momentum, breaking Mensik’s serve in the opening game, dashing the teenager’s dream week.
Mensik, ranked 116th in the world, had defeated seasoned opponents, including former world number one Andy Murray and world number five Andrey Rublev, to reach the final. Despite his tough loss, Mensik reflected on his remarkable journey, saying “For sure this week will be unforgettable for me. From the beginning, I didn’t even get to this tournament on my own ranking. I had to use the Next Gen spot, so I tried to enjoy every moment on the court.”
“I didn’t expect that I would go through to the final. So I’m really happy with my performance. I am sad and also happy at the same time, because of a tough loss today, but yeah, it was a great match.”
Khachanov, with an 83% success rate on his opening delivery and a robust performance without encountering a breakpoint, secured his first title since Zhuhai in September of the previous year. In a post-match interview, he expressed “Every title is a special one. Every time, you want to win. We play around 22 tournaments per season and at the end of the day, you compete every week.”
“For sure here in Doha, it is one of the nicest trophies.”
Meanwhile, Qatar Tennis Federation’s Secretary-General Tariq Zainal expressed confidence in the continued success of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2024, now upgraded to 500 status.
Zainal commended the tournament’s strong competition, particularly highlighting the summit clash between Karen Khachanov and Jakub Mensik as an enjoyable display of tennis prowess.
Zainal acknowledged Mensik’s remarkable performance, foreseeing a bright future for the 18-year-old in tennis. He praised Mensik’s victories over top-ranked players, including Murray and Rublev, noting the young player’s potential emergence as a future tennis star.
Emphasising the upgraded status of the tournament to 500, Zainal revealed that the Qatar ExxonMobil Open will hold greater significance, joining the elite 16 tournaments in its category from the next edition.
Anticipated changes include increased financial prizes and a more prominent presence from the top ten seeds.
