Carlos Alcaraz continues his dominant 2026 season, defeating Andrey Rublev to reach the Qatar Open final against Arthur Fils.
Key Points
- Carlos Alcaraz defeated Andrey Rublev to advance to the Qatar Open final, marking his 12th final appearance in his last 13 tournaments.
- Alcaraz showcased resilience, overcoming a strong challenge from Rublev, including saving multiple match-points.
- Arthur Fils secured his spot in the final after a victory over Jakub Mensik, marking a significant comeback after an injury.
- Alcaraz's victory extends his unbeaten run in 2026 and highlights his consistent performance at major tennis events.
World number one Carlos Alcaraz continued his unbeaten run in 2026 as he beat defending champion Andrey Rublev 7-6(3), 6-4 on Friday to reach the Qatar Open final, reaching the 12th summit clash in his last 13 tournaments.
The Spaniard will face France's Arthur Fils in Saturday's final after the 21-year-old beat Czech Jakub Mensik 6-4, 7-6(4) in the second semi-final.
Russia's Rublev fought back from 3-0 down to level the second set and then saved five match-points, but Alcaraz ultimately prevailed to win his 11th straight match of the season.
"I know what I'm able to do every time that I step on court. For me it's great. Obviously, the way I'm approaching every match, I'm just really proud about it," said 22-year-old Alcaraz, who has been a finalist at the last four Grand Slams, winning three of them.
"It's paying off, all the focus and attention. I'm just happy and proud about myself with how I'm getting better and getting mature I guess."
Match Highlights: Alcaraz vs Rublev
Rublev made 14 unforced backhand errors in the first set, but outwitted Alcaraz with precise forehands that nicked the baseline as both players broke the other twice each to go into a tiebreak.
Alcaraz held his nerve to go 6-3 up in the tiebreak as a frustrated Rublev repeatedly smashed the racket on his left knee, breaking a string. Seven-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz then pretended to slice but landed a forehand down the sideline to win the first set.
Alcaraz broke Rublev twice to go 5-3 up in the second set and was serving for the match when the world number 14 saved three match points to break back.
But Alcaraz pushed to break again for victory in the next game, and finally converted his sixth match-point when Rublev's backhand landed wide.
Fils's Road to the Final
Fils reached his fifth career final with a commanding victory over world number 16 Mensik in just over 90 minutes. The Frenchman - who suffered a lower back stress fracture during the 2025 French Open that led to eight months out of the game - committed fewer unforced errors in an otherwise even match, while saving seven of eight break points and converting two of five.
"Eight months without playing, watching others and staying in bed. It was a long and difficult ordeal. But today, the comeback is all the more sweet. It means a lot to me to be in the final," said Fils.
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