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Alcaraz Edges Rublev in Qatar Open Thriller, Faces Fils in Final

World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz defeated defending champion Andrey Rublev in a tense semi-final to advance to the Qatar Open final. The Spaniard won 7-6(3), 6-4 in a match where he needed six match points to finally close out the victory. Alcaraz will face France's Arthur Fils, who is making a strong comeback from injury, in the championship match. With this win, Alcaraz extends his perfect start to the 2026 season to 11 matches.

Key Points: Alcaraz Beats Rublev, Reaches Qatar Open 2026 Final

  • Alcaraz wins 7-6(3), 6-4
  • Extends 2026 unbeaten run to 11 matches
  • Faces Arthur Fils in final
  • Needed six match points to seal victory
  • Fils returns from injury to make final
2 min read

Qatar Open 2026: Alcaraz beats defending champion Rublev to enter Doha final

Carlos Alcaraz defeats defending champion Andrey Rublev to reach the Qatar Open final, where he will face Arthur Fils. Read the match recap.

"He twice failed to serve out the opening set before clinching it in a tie-break. - ATP Report"

Doha, February 21

World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz held his nerve in a tense late-night contest to defeat defending champion Andrey Rublev and book his place in the final of the Qatar Open 2026 on Friday. Alcaraz will take on Frenchman Arthur Fils in the title clash on Saturday, according to ATP.

The Spanish star dug deep to register a 7-6(3), 6-4 victory in the semi-final, converting his sixth match point after two hours and two minutes of absorbing tennis. With the win, Alcaraz extended his unbeaten start to the 2026 season to 11 matches and advanced to his first final in Doha.

Top seed Alcaraz was pushed throughout by Rublev, a two-time champion at the event, and had to withstand several momentum swings. He twice failed to serve out the opening set before clinching it in a tie-break. In the second set, the 22-year-old surged ahead 3-0, only to see Rublev claw his way back into the contest.

Serving for the match at 5-3 in the second set, Alcaraz let three match points slip as Rublev mounted a final charge to break back. But the Spaniard responded immediately, breaking the Russian in the next game to regain control. Showing composure under pressure, Alcaraz finally sealed the victory on his sixth opportunity to close out the match.

Alcaraz arrived in Doha brimming with confidence after clinching the Australian Open title in January, becoming the youngest man to complete the Career Grand Slam. However, his run in Qatar has required resilience. He needed three sets to overcome former champion Karen Khachanov in the quarter-finals before navigating another stern examination against Rublev.

Awaiting Alcaraz in Saturday's summit clash is France's Arthur Fils, who continued his strong comeback from injury with a straight-sets win over sixth seed Jakub Mensik in the other semi-final.

Fils, playing only his third tournament since returning from an eight-month layoff due to a back injury, prevailed 6-4, 7-5 to reach his first tour-level final since 2024. The 21-year-old has recently strengthened his coaching setup by bringing in former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic.

With momentum on his side and confidence soaring, Alcaraz will now aim to cap his impressive start to the season by lifting the Doha title and extending his winning streak further.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As a tennis fan in Mumbai, I stayed up late to watch this. Totally worth it! Rublev fought so hard, but Alcaraz is just on another level right now. Completing the Career Grand Slam at 22... unreal. Hope he faces a tough challenge from Fils in the final.
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Vikram M
Respect to Rublev for defending his title so fiercely. But Alcaraz is a machine. 11-0 in 2026! The final against Arthur Fils will be interesting. Fils coming back from injury and now in a final with Ivanisevic in his corner... could be a cracker.
R
Rohit P
Great win, but I have to say, the scheduling of these late-night matches is brutal for fans in the Indian subcontinent. The match ended past 2 AM IST! Wish ATP would consider Asian viewers a bit more.
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Kavya N
Alcaraz's composure is a lesson for all young athletes. The way he handled the pressure after those missed match points was pure class. We need an Indian player with that kind of big-match temperament! 🇮🇳
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David E
Fantastic tennis. But let's not forget Arthur Fils' achievement. Coming back from an 8-month layoff and reaching a final is incredible. The mentorship from Goran Ivanisevic seems to be working wonders. The final might be closer than people think.

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