In his first appearance post his historic Career Grand Slam win at the Australian Open, Carlos Alcaraz defeated Arthur Rinderknech 6-4, 7-6 (5) at the Qatar Open. Alcaraz, aged 22, secured his 150th tour-level hard-court victory and maintained his flawless 8-0 start to the 2026 season, overcoming two set points in a tense second set.
“It was really difficult. Arthur is a really dangerous player. Nobody wants to play against him in the first round… I’m happy with the level. I’m happy that I got through difficult moments in the match. I’m happy that I stayed calm and positive, and played great tennis,” Alcaraz expressed.
Looking to surpass his previous year’s performance in Doha, where he was defeated by Jiri Lehecka in the quarter-finals, Alcaraz is set to face Frenchman Valentin Royer next. The ATP Rankings’ top player might potentially meet second seed Sinner in the championship match, marking the 17th chapter of their intense rivalry.
Before a potential final showdown, Alcaraz could encounter Karen Khachanov in the quarter-finals. Khachanov, the 2024 champion, advanced by defeating lucky loser Shintaro Mochizuki 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 and is scheduled to face Marton Fucsovics in the second round.
Defending champion Andrey Rublev overcame a slow start to secure a 6-4, 6-3 victory against Jesper de Jong in his opening match. Rublev, the fifth seed, will now face Fabian Marozsan in the next round after Marozsan’s win over Ugo Humbert.
Stefanos Tsitsipas kicked off his Doha campaign with a 6-4, 6-4 victory against Tunisian wild card Moez Echargui, setting up a second-round clash with Daniil Medvedev, the 2023 winner. Tsitsipas, trailing 4-10 in their head-to-head series, is gearing up for a challenging match against his long-time rival.
