Alcaraz Surges Into 55th Career QF in Doha

By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Photo credit: Tennis TV Screen Shot

Carlos Alcaraz cast lines with rival Jannik Sinner on a Doha fishing trip last weekend.

Confronting a brief tennis tempest at 2-5 today, Alcaraz rode a wave of winners to reach his second straight Doha quarterfinal.

World No. 1 Alcaraz reeled off five games in a row subduing Valentin Royer 6-2, 7-5.

It is Alcaraz’s ninth straight win and vaults him into his 55th quarterfinal. 

Seventeen days after Alcaraz 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, he continues to tame all challengers.

Since last April, Alcaraz has won 64 of 69 matches, including a perfect 27-0 on outdoor hard courts, that included a streak of 11 finals in 12 tournaments. 

The 22-year-old Spaniard will face Karen Khachanov for a spot in the Qatar ExxonMobil Open semifinals.

Earlier, the seventh-seeded Khachanov cranked seven aces and saved five of six break points topping Marton Fucsovics 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. It is Khachanov’s first Tour-level quarterfinal since he advanced to the Toronto final last August losing to Ben Shelton.

The 2024 Doha champion Khachanov is winless in five prior meetings against Alcaraz. In their most recent clash at the 2025 Rome round of 16, Alcaraz prevailed 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.

Facing former junior opponent Royer for the first time as a pro today, Alcaraz lunged for a full-stretch forehand volley that helped him break in the third game.

Denying a pair of break points, including whipping an inside-out forehand winner on the second break point, Alcaraz slid an ace down the T to consolidate for 3-1.

Alcaraz broke again for 5-2. Serving for the set, the Spaniard swooped forward, guessed right on a pair of passes and knocked off successive forehand volleys to close the 36-minute opening set.

Though Royer carried a meager 1-5 record on the season into this clash, he delivered a level of tennis far higher than his current rank of No. 60 in the second set.

Stepping into his groundstrokes, Royer frequently went toe-to-toe with Alcaraz in some crackling baseline exchanges early in the second set.

A solid strike and fortuitous fall helped Royer register the first break of the second set. Royer bolted a backhand return into the top of the tape and the ball dribbled over on Alcaraz’s side of the court giving the Frenchman the break and a 3-1 lead.

Royer erased a break point when Alcaraz sailed a forehand wide. The world No. 60 backed up the break extending his lead to 4-1. Alcaraz climbed out of a Love-30 hole to hold in the sixth game before Royer stamped a solid hold at 30 for 5-2.

Serving for the second set, Royer tried to attack but paid the price as Alcaraz zapped a forehand pass crosscourt. Two points later, Alcaraz drilled a diagonal forehand winner for triple break point.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion hammered heavy forehands to break for 4-5. A sharp Alcaraz won 12 of 14 points to level at 5-all.

Stepping into a backhand bolt, Alcaras spun a pass for his second straight break for a 6-5 lead. Firing his 17th forehand winner of the day helped Alcaraz close in 95 minutes, raising his 2026 record to 9-0.