The Spaniard now looks to face France’s Valentin Royer in the ATP Qatar Open Round of 16.
World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz continued his fantastic start in 2026, edging out France’s Arthur Rinderknech with a hard-fought 6–4, 7–6(5) victory in the Round of 32 at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open on Tuesday, held at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex.
This win keeps Alcaraz’s perfect record intact this season and propels him into the Round of 16.
The young Spaniard came into the Doha tournament on the heels of a Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open earlier this month, with his match against Rinderknech being his first since becoming the youngest man to win all four majors by just 22.
Alcaraz faced a tough challenge from the powerful 30-year-old Rinderknech, who pushed him hard in both sets, nearly forcing a third set and even earning two set points in the second before Alcaraz rallied to clinch the tiebreak.
In the first set, Alcaraz broke Rinderknech in the fifth game and held his serve to take it 6-4. Although he missed several break chances later on, his aggressive play kept him in control.
The second set tightened as both players held serve, with Rinderknech even getting two set points on Alcaraz’s serve. However, Alcaraz saved both crucial points and pushed the set to a tiebreak at 6–6, where he ultimately sealed the win.
“It was really difficult,” Alcaraz admitted on court after his victory.
“Arthur is a really dangerous player. Nobody wants to face him in the first round… I’m pleased with my level. I’m glad I navigated through the tough moments in the match. I stayed calm and positive, and played some great tennis.”
Alcaraz described facing Rinderknech as “a nightmare in the first round” due to the Frenchman’s strong serve and aggressive baseline game, but he was satisfied with how he handled the pressure to come out on top.
This victory also marked Alcaraz’s 150th ATP Tour hard-court win, extending his unbeaten streak to 8-0 for the 2026 season.
Born in El Palmar, Spain, Alcaraz became the youngest player ever to reach world No. 1 at age 19 and has collected multiple major titles across all playing surfaces.
The Spaniard will next face Frenchman Valentin Royer in the Round of 16 as he looks to continue his momentum in Doha.
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