Thiem withdraws with fever, Monfils to face Rublev in Qatar final

Doha, January 6: Dominic Thiem was forced to withdraw from the Qatar Open with a fever, handing Gael Monfils a place in the final against Andrey Rublev.

Top seed Thiem had breezed through the tournament without dropping a set, but his hopes of lifting the trophy have been ended by illness.

"I am in bed with fever and there is almost no chance of a recovery until tonight," Thiem wrote on Facebook. "Of course I am disappointed, but nevertheless I had a solid start into the new season."

With the Australian Open 10 days away, Thiem added: "Now I am focusing on Melbourne and being fit and prepared for the first Grand Slam of the year."

Instead Monfils progresses to the final and will take on Rublev, who prevailed in three sets against Guido Pella.

Rublev saved a match point in the decisive set, which he won on a tie-break to claim a 6-2 4-6 7-6 (7-2) success.