Alcaraz Tames Khachanov for 46th SF in Doha

By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, February 19, 2026
Photo credit: Antoine Couvercelle/ROLEX

Tested in a tense three-setter, Carlos Alcaraz administered quality control in Doha.

Elevating the quality of his play, Alcaraz surged through five of the final six games, out-dueling Karen Khachanov 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-3 to advance to the Qatar ExxonMobil Open semifinals.

World No. 1 Alcaraz raised his 2026 record to a perfect 10-0 advancing to his 46 ATP semifinal. 

Since losing to Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 3-6, 4-6 in the Doha quarterfinals last February, Alcaraz has posted a 12-0 quarterfinal record and conquered a committed Kachanov for the sixth time in as many meetings today.

After pressuring the top seed for a pulsating two hours, 26-minutes a smiling Khachanov asked the 22-year-old Spaniard why he can’t get tired “just one time, one time.”

Eighteen 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 is now one win away from potentially playing No. 2 Jannik Sinner, the last man to beat him outdoors, in what would be a marquee Doha final.

First, Alcaraz must dispatch defending Doha champion Andrey Rublev.

Earlier, the fifth-seeded Rublev saved all five break points he faced in a 6-3, 7-6(2)triumph over Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Overall, Alcaraz is 4-1 lifetime vs. Rublev, winning all three of their prior hard-court clashes.

Today, Alcaraz ran down a drop shot that would have likely eluded 99 percent of the ATP Tour, scampered left then exploded off the court for a sensational high backhand volley in the ninth game.

As is his custom, Alcaraz held an index finger behind his ear extending the roaring crowd’s celebration of a fantastic point. However, that celebratory surge cost Alcaraz as chair umpire Marija Cicak hit him with a time violation after the point. 

In a rare show of anger, Alcaraz argued with chair umpire Cicak for a few minutes.

“I’m not allowed to go to the towel?” Alcaraz inquired a couple of times. Cicak replied she didn’t start the service clock until Alcaraz had returned to the back wall to retrieve the towel, therefore implying he had no argument.

Though he held for 5-4, Alcaraz was still a bit cranky during the changeover exchanging words with Cicak.

Stinging a slick backhand pass crosscourt off the sideline earned the Spaniard set point in the 10th game.

Khachanov hammered a wide serve to save set point. When Alcaraz badly botched a mid-court smash wide, Khachanov held for 5-all. That miss was a foreshadowing of another missed smash to come.

The seventh-seeded Russian stamped a love hold to force the tiebreaker.

Though Khachanov entered this tiebreaker 0-4 in breakers this season, he was gifted the mini break to open when Alcaraz netted a smash right in front of the net.

Khachanov cracked an ace for 3-0 then brought the magic.

Pushed to nearly the front row for a stretch retrieval, Khachanov sprinted all the way to nearly the opposite sideline and scooped a sprinting forehand pass from his shoelaces for a 4-0 lead. 

That stirring shot energized both the crowd and Khachanov, who fired a forehand winner down the line for a fistful of set points at 6-1.

Though Alcaraz saved two set points, Khachanov cranked a flat serve down the T ending a 70-minute battle that saw him save the set point for a one-set lead.

The former Paris Masters champion cruised through eight of his first nine service points building a 2-1 second-set lead.

Pressuring the bearded Russian’s serve in the fifth game, Alcaraz earned two break points when Khachanov shoveled a forehand volley long. Khachanov missed a backhand as Alcaraz earned the first break of the night with a “Vamos!” and 3-2 lead.

A re-energized Alcaraz backed up the break at 30 for 4-2.

Armed with the lead, Alcaraz played more proactive tennis throughout the set. Alcaraz rolled through a love hold drilling an ace out wide to end the second set and force a third after one hour, 52 minutes.

Credit Khachanov for continue to lash his forehand, hit with full western grip, down the line at times and throwing everything he could at Alcaraz.

World No. 17 Khachanov at love for a 2-1 third-set lead, but then saw Alcaraz elevate his game to a level the big-hitting Russian could not consistently reach.

Running down a drop shot, Alcaraz cleverly held the ball on his racquet until he saw his opponent move, then blocked a forehand winner down the line for break point. A sizzling running pass sealed the Spaniard’s crucial break for a 3-2 lead in the decider.

Swinging freely, Alcaraz won 12 of his final 14 service points stretching his lead to 5-3.

On his third match point, Alcaraz closed an entertaining show on a Khachanov forehand error.

Alcaraz has now won 65 of his last 70 match since last April, including a flawless 28-0 mark on outdoor hard courts.