Doha, February 19: Carlos Alcaraz powered into the Qatar Open quarterfinals with a commanding straight-sets victory over Valentin Royer, 6-2, 7-5. The young Spaniard faced a tense moment in the second set, trailing 2-5, but unleashed a remarkable comeback, reeling off five straight games to seal his spot in the last eight.
Post-match, Alcaraz reflected on his resilience: ‘I’m thrilled to be back in rhythm and playing solid tennis. Tennis is all about those crucial points, and closing out sets or matches can be tough. Honestly, there were moments I thought about a third set, but I’m glad I turned it around.’
Waiting for him in the quarters is seventh seed Karen Khachanov, the 2024 champion here, who edged out Marton Fucsovics 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 on Wednesday. Alcaraz, now on a 27-match winning streak on outdoor hard courts since his Cincinnati triumph last August, is chasing his first Qatar Open title. Last year, he fell in the quarters to Jiri Lehecka on debut.
The 22-year-old, fresh off completing a career Grand Slam at the Australian Open as the youngest ever, enters this clash with unstoppable momentum. In the same half of the draw, fifth seed and defending champion Andrey Rublev takes on Stefanos Tsitsipas next. Rublev dismissed Fabian Marozsan 6-2, 6-4, while the former world No. 3 Tsitsipas stunned fourth seed Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-4 for his first tour-level quarterfinal in 10 months.
Tennis fans are buzzing as Alcaraz aims to extend his streak against a familiar foe in Doha, where every point promises high drama on the hard courts.