Bautista Agut, Nikoloz Basilashvili set up Qatar Open final repeat

Roberto Bautista Agut set up a second successive Qatar Open final against defending champion Nikoloz Basilashivili on Friday after two contrasting semi-finals. Second seed Bautista Agut, the champion in Doha in 2019, needed almost two and a half hours to see off Russia's Karen Khachanov, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5. "I want to give a lot of credit to Karen, he was playing unbelievable," said 16th-ranked Bautista Agut who had dropped just three games in his opening wins over Andy Murray and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. "I had to fight really hard to turn the score around. It was a really tough match."

Third-seeded Basilashvili of Georgia earlier enjoyed a comfortable 6-4, 6-2 win over 61st-ranked Arthur Rinderknech of France. "I am feeling great," said Basilashvili who defeated Roger Federer during his title run in 2021. "I really like playing in Doha. I see the ball really well here."