Milestone Man: Alcaraz Edges Rinderknech for 150th Career Hard-Court Win
By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Photo credit: Antoine Couvercelle/ROLEX
Streaking right, Carlos Alcaraz delivered dazzle from the doubles alley.
Alcaraz was off the court when he slashed his 17th forehand winner down the line, closing a high-quality 6-4, 7-6(5) victory over Arthur Rinderknech in style in his Doha opener today.
World No. 1 Alcaraz, who beat the Frenchman for the fifth time in as many meetings, is the third man born in 2000s to earn 150 tour-level hard-court wins (150-42), following No. 2 Jannik Sinner (233) and Felix Auger-Aliassime (194).
The seven-time Grand Slam champion improved to 8-0 on the season becoming the 10th Spanish man in the Open Era to score 150 hard-court victories. At net, Rinderknech joked to the No. 1 maybe he’ll let him win someday after putting Alcaraz through a tough test today.
“It was very difficult,” Alcaraz said. “Arthur is a really talented player. I think no one wants to play against him in the first round.
“I was very happy to come through. I stayed calm in the difficult moments. Happy with the win and to continue the winning streak.”
It was Alcaraz’s first match since he powered past Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 to capture his first AO championship and make history as the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam 16 days ago.
Today, Alcaraz played proactive tennis when he needed it most, saving two set points when serving at 5-6 to force the tiebreaker.
The top-seeded Spaniard served 77 percent, won 45 of 53 first-serve points and 16 of 21 net points in a one hour, 47-minute victory that did not come easily.
Credit Rinderknech for some strong serve-and-volley tennis.
The 30-year-old Frenchman won 14 of 17 trips to net and erased five of the six break points he faced—all six break points came in the first set as Rinderknech’s serve got stronger as this match progressed.
Pressuring the Frenchman again in the fifth game, Alcaraz tossed a clever lob over Rinderknech’s backhand then banged a running forehand pass crosscourt to draw even at deuce.
The frazzled Frenchman, who squandered a 40-Love lead, was moving backward when he netted a forehand drop shot into the middle of the net. Alcaraz broke for a 3-2 lead.
The man sporting the Psycho Bunny kit dug himself out of a deep hole in the seventh game. Rinderknech fought off three break points—the third straight service game he faced break points—then slammed an ace that helped him navigate a nine-minute hold for 3-4.
Serving for the set at 5-4, Alcaraz ran into stiff Rinderknech resistance. Down 15-30, Alcaraz stabbed a brilliant backhand drop volley that put him ahead.
Rinderknech staved off two set points—with a deep return and the second when Alcaraz framed a forehand—but the top seed crushed a crosscourt forehand for a third set point.
Following a drive to net, Alcaraz blocked a forehand volley winner for a one-set lead after 51 minutes.
In the second set, Rinderknech rallied from 15-30 down with a serve-and-volley winner and a fine backhand stretch volley holding for 5-4.
Alcaraz stamped a love hold leveling after 10 games and one hour, 27-minutes of play.
Serving to force the tiebreaker, Alcaraz was down set point at 30-40 when he delivered the serve-and-forehand swing volley to save it.
Facing a second set point, Alcaraz again deployed the serve and volley angling off a short forehand volley. Rinderknech had a look at a running forehand pass but could not control it. Alcaraz held two points later to force the tiebreaker.
At 4-all, Alcaraz unloaded a fierce forehand crosscourt and unleashed a primal scream earning the mini break for 5-4. When the Frenchman netted a return, Alcaraz had double match point.
Blasting a big backhand return down the line, Rinderknech saved match point No. 1 on the Spaniard’s serve.
Then Alcaraz summoned the magic with a sideline-to-sideline sprint he ended smacking a superb running forehand strike down the line to end a hard-fought battle.
Next up for Alcaraz is another Frenchman, Valentin Royer, who was a 6-0, 6-3 victor over compatriot and qualifier Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
Alcaraz’s aim is to keep moving in the right direction.
“I’ve been practicing at home. Coming here, these days, my team and I, just we set up some goals for this tournament,” Alcaraz said. “We are not talking about results at all. It’s just more about still in the process to be better, still in the process to grow up.
“There are some things that I really want to be better, and develop my game in a way that I really want to show up, and to, you know, pull it off here in this tournament.
“So that could be a really successful week for me, besides results, that I see myself that I’m just doing the right things on and off the court.”
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