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Alcaraz Battles to 150th Hard-Court Win in Tense Doha Opener

Carlos Alcaraz began his Qatar Open campaign with a hard-fought straight-sets victory over Arthur Rinderknech, marking his 150th tour-level win on hard courts. The world number one saved two set points in a tense second-set tiebreak to extend his flawless start to the 2026 season. Defending champion Andrey Rublev also advanced, while Stefanos Tsitsipas set up a marquee second-round clash with Daniil Medvedev. Alcaraz's potential path includes a quarter-final with Karen Khachanov and a possible final against rival Jannik Sinner.

Key Points: Alcaraz Wins 150th Hard-Court Match in Qatar Open Opener

  • Alcaraz saves two set points
  • Extends perfect 2026 start to 8-0
  • Could face Sinner in final
  • Defending champ Rublev advances
  • Tsitsipas sets up Medvedev clash
2 min read

Alcaraz beats Rinderknech in Doha opener for 150th hard-court win

Carlos Alcaraz defeats Arthur Rinderknech in Doha for his 150th tour-level hard-court victory, extending his perfect 2026 start to 8-0.

Alcaraz beats Rinderknech in Doha opener for 150th hard-court win
"I'm happy that I stayed calm and positive, and played great tennis. - Carlos Alcaraz"

Doha, Feb 18

In his first outing since becoming the youngest man to complete the Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open, Carlos Alcaraz battled past Arthur Rinderknech 6-4, 7-6 in Qatar Open.

The 22-year-old saved two set points on serve in a tense second set before prevailing in the tie-break to secure his 150th tour-level hard-court win and extending his flawless start to the 2026 season to 8-0, ATP reports.

"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 said.

Alcaraz is aiming to improve on last year's debut result in Doha, where he fell to Jiri Lehecka in the quarter-finals. The No. 1 player in the ATP Rankings will next meet Frenchman Valentin Royer.

Alcaraz can only meet second seed Sinner in the championship match, which would be the 17th chapter of their thrilling rivalry.

Before that, the Spaniard could face a quarter-final showdown with Karen Khachanov.

The 2024 winner Khachanov battled past lucky loser Shintaro Mochizuki 6-1, 3-6, 6-4. The seventh-seeded Khachanov meets Marton Fucsovics in the second round.

Defending champion Andrey Rublev later shook off a sluggish start before powering to a 6-4, 6-3 win over Jesper de Jong in his opening match. The fifth seed, who also lifted the Doha trophy in 2020 when it was an ATP 250, will next meet Fabian Marozsan, who dispatched Ugo Humbert 6-3, 6-1.

Stefanos Tsitsipas ignited his Doha campaign with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Tunisian wild card Moez Echargui, booking a popcorn second-round clash with 2023 winner and longtime rival Daniil Medvedev.

Tsitsipas trails 4-10 in the pair's Lexus ATP Head2Head series, though they have not met since Shanghai in 2024.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Really hoping for an Alcaraz vs Sinner final! Their rivalry is the best thing in tennis right now. More exciting than the old Federer-Nadal days for the new generation. Fingers crossed they both make it.
R
Rohit P
Solid win, but he made it harder than it needed to be. Rinderknech is tough, but the real test will be Khachanov in the quarters. Need to see that killer instinct from the first point, not just in tie-breaks.
S
Sarah B
Tsitsipas vs Medvedev is the match I'm waiting for! Their history is so spicy. Hope it's a good one. Also, good to see Rublev defending well. Doha has a great lineup this year.
K
Karthik V
As an Indian fan, I watch these tournaments and just wish we had a player competing at this level. Our guys are struggling to even qualify for main draws. Alcaraz's journey is inspirational, but also shows the gap.
M
Michael C
The mental strength to save those set points after just winning a Career Grand Slam... that's champion mentality. He could have easily had a letdown. On to the next one! #Vamos

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