Qatar Trip Day 6 – Semifinals, A Marathon Battle & a Doubles Title
Our morning routine has become one of the most important parts of this trip. Keeping the same habits each day is helping Rafa stay calm, confident, and in full control of his time and mind. So we kept things exactly as they’ve been working: early breakfast, a bit of schoolwork, and then off to the courts for our morning practice session.
Today we trained with a player from Kuwait and our friend Arjan from India. It was a great session — good tempo, clean hitting, and positive feelings heading into the afternoon singles semifinal. Rafa looked loose, sharp, and ready. After lunch and rest, we headed to the courts for the big match: the singles semifinal against the No.1 seed.
Singles Semifinal – A 3-Hour, 15-Minute Battle
The match was intense right from the start. Rafa dominated the first set with smart decisions, controlled aggression, and excellent movement. In the second set, his opponent managed to break Rafa’s serve and took the momentum, but Rafa fought back brilliantly to reach a tiebreak.
Unfortunately, a couple of lucky shots from the opponent — combined with a few untimely unforced errors — tipped the tiebreak away from us, 8–6. The third set became physically and emotionally demanding after nearly three hours on court, and the top seed took full control, eventually winning the match after 3 hours and 15 minutes of pure battle. It was a tough loss, but a performance full of heart, character, and high-level tennis.
Doubles Final – Rafa & Hajmed Crowned Champions
After a short break, it was time to regroup for the doubles final. Rafa and Hajmed stepped back on court determined, focused, and ready — and what a performance they delivered.
They dominated from start to finish, playing smart, aggressive doubles and showing excellent teamwork. The victory was clear and convincing, giving Rafa his first title of the tournament and a huge moment to celebrate.
A fantastic reward after a long and emotional day.
Looking Ahead
Tomorrow we fight for third place in singles.
Another opportunity, another challenge, and we’re aiming for a strong, professional performance to close the week.
More action coming tomorrow — the journey continues.