Top-Ranked Alcaraz Advances to Qatar Open Final with Win Over Rublev

World number one Carlos Alcaraz maintained his perfect 2026 record by defeating defending champion Andrey Rublev in straight sets at the Qatar Open. The Spanish star will face France's Arthur Fils in Saturday's championship match after extending his winning streak to 11 matches this season.

Top-ranked tennis player Carlos Alcaraz kept his flawless 2026 season alive Friday, taking down defending champion Andrey Rublev 7-6(3) 6-4 in the Qatar Open semifinals. The victory sends the Spanish sensation to his 12th final appearance in his last 13 tournament entries.

Saturday’s championship match will pit Alcaraz against 21-year-old Arthur Fils of France, who secured his spot by defeating Czech player Jakub Mensik 6-4 7-6(4) in the other semifinal contest.

The Russian defender mounted a spirited comeback effort, erasing a 3-0 deficit to even the second set before staving off five match opportunities. However, Alcaraz managed to close out the victory, extending his season win streak to 11 consecutive matches.

“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,” the 22-year-old Alcaraz commented after the match. The young champion has appeared in the final four of the last four Grand Slam tournaments, capturing three titles during that stretch.

“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,” he added.

The opening set saw Rublev struggle with his backhand, committing 14 unforced errors on that wing. Despite this, he managed to match Alcaraz’s aggressive play with pinpoint forehands that caught the baseline, leading to an even exchange of service breaks that forced a tiebreaker.

Alcaraz maintained his composure during the crucial tiebreak, building a 6-3 advantage while a visibly frustrated Rublev repeatedly struck his racket against his knee, eventually snapping a string. The seven-time Grand Slam champion then sealed the set with a deceptive shot, faking a slice before delivering a powerful forehand winner down the line.

The second set appeared to be heading toward a comfortable finish for Alcaraz after he secured two service breaks for a 5-3 lead. However, while serving for the match, the world number one watched Rublev save three match points to break back and level the set.

Alcaraz responded immediately by breaking serve once more in the following game, finally converting his sixth match point opportunity when Rublev’s backhand sailed beyond the baseline.

Meanwhile, Fils earned his fifth career final berth with a dominant performance against 16th-ranked Mensik, wrapping up the victory in just over 90 minutes. The French player, who endured an eight-month layoff due to a lower back stress fracture suffered during last year’s French Open, played error-free tennis while successfully defending seven of eight break point chances and converting two of his five opportunities.

“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,” Fils reflected on his journey back to competitive tennis.