Aliassime will face Andrey Rublev in the Qatar Open semifinals after he beat fellow Russian Daniil Medvedev when the latter retired after losing the first set 6-3 on Thursday in Doha.

The negative spiral that has enveloped Daniil Medvedev in the last year does not want to disappear. The Russian ace is trying in every way to return to the sensational player who had reached the top of the ATP ranking and who had won his first Major at the 2021 US Open, but the signs continue to be very negative.

Auger-Aliassime won the first set of Thursday’s match 6-3 before Medvedev, who was seeded fourth at the ATP 500 tournament, left the court

Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime advanced to the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open tennis tournament Wednesday when second-round opponent Hamad Medjedovic withdrew with a right leg injury.

A day after receiving a walkover from injured Hamad Medjedovic, Felix won the opening set against Daniil Medvedev 6-3 in 31 minutes. The Russian retired due to illness, not shaking hands with his rival and the chair umpire and leaving the court.

Aliassime advanced to the semifinals of the Qatar Open tennis tournament after Russia’s Daniil Medvedev retired from their quarterfinal with an illness. Auger-Aliassime won the first set of Thursday’s match 6-3 before Medvedev,

Medvedev, ranked sixth on the ATP Tour, holds a commanding 7-1 head-to-head record versus Auger-Aliassime, but the Canadian won the most recent meeting in the round of 16 at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Russian defeated Auger-Aliassime in the Qatar Open semi-finals in 2023.

Auger-Aliassime advances as Medvedev retires with illness

Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime advanced to the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open tennis tournament Wednesday when second-round opponent Hamad Medjedovic withdrew with a right leg injury.