The Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz continues to demonstrate his dominance at the start of the season. The world number one extended his undefeated streak in 2026 by defeating the Russian Andrey Rublev in the semifinals with scores of 7-6 (3) and 6-4, securing his place in the final of the Doha tournament.
This triumph marks Alcaraz’s eleventh consecutive victory of the year, where he has only lost four sets, confirming his excellent form on the circuit.
A contested match
Rublev, defending champion and world number fourteen, presented a tough battle that lasted for more than two hours. Despite the pressure, Alcaraz demonstrated his mental strength in crucial moments.
The first set was a back-and-forth exchange, with both players breaking each other’s serve. The tiebreak favored Alcaraz, who appeared more solid and mature, securing the initial set 7-6 (3) after an hour and three minutes.
Definition of the match
In the second set, Alcaraz quickly took the lead, achieving a 3-0. Rublev reacted, tying the score at 3-3. However, Alcaraz’s consistency prevailed, breaking Rublev’s serve again when the score was 5-3.
Rublev tried to resist, saving three match points. But, on the sixth opportunity, Alcaraz sealed the victory with a score of 7-6 (3) and 6-4.
Next challenge
This victory allows Carlos Alcaraz to play the thirty-fourth final of his professional career and the twelfth in the last thirteen tournaments, which reflects his remarkable consistency.
In the final, Alcaraz will face the winner of the match between Frenchman Arthur Fils and Czech Jakub Menšík.
With his talent and a strengthened mindset, Alcaraz continues to lead world tennis at the beginning of 2026.
