Alcaraz comes from behind to defeat Khachanov and remains undefeated in 2026

Pedro de Pablos | 19 Feb 2026 | 17.48

Alcaraz stages comeback against Khachanov and remains unbeaten in 2026

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🎾 Carlos Alcaraz vs Andrey Rublev

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Carlos Alcaraz and Karen Khachanov have given us a great battle in the quarterfinals of the ATP 500 Doha 2026, where the Spanish tennis player finally emerged victorious with a score of 6-7(3), 6-4, and 6-4 after two and a half hours of play. Carlos had to endure, but he extends his undefeated streak in 2026 to nine consecutive victories.

Karen Khachanov proved to be a more than worthy opponent for Carlos Alcaraz, to the extent that at times the ATP's number one seemed to be without answers and visibly frustrated. However, as players of his caliber often do, he managed to find solutions to turn the match around and reach the ATP Doha semifinals for the first time, surpassing his previous best result of reaching the quarterfinals last year.

Khachanov takes the first set from Alcaraz in the tiebreak

The match started with Alcaraz very focused, strong on serve, and aggressive on return. In fact, in the second game, the world number one already had the first break point, but Khachanov managed to save it to maintain parity, which lasted until the midpoint of the first set. At 3-3, it was the Russian player who had a 15-40 advantage that put Carlos under pressure, but he played at the limit to save both and put pressure on his opponent for the next game.

In fact, another 30-40 favored Alcaraz after struggling on serve, but Khachanov relied on his serve to avoid the break. Like a loop, at 4-4, Carlos once again faced difficulties on serve after being 40-15 up, saving a new break point with a prodigious cross-court backhand that elicited a nervous laugh from the Russian player. The match was becoming increasingly exciting, with remarkable plays becoming common.

After one of those long rallies, the controversy of the match arose when the chair umpire issued a highly debatable time violation warning to Alcaraz that ignited the world number one. Nevertheless, he managed to have a set point at 5-4 in his favor, but once again, Khachanov delivered a solid service game. Ultimately, the first set was decided by a tiebreak, where the Spanish player made more errors than desired and Khachanov displayed his magic to concede barely three points. It was time to fight back.

Alcaraz reacts and claims the second set

The second set began with the same level of parity as the first, especially due to the serving solidity demonstrated by both players. However, Alcaraz's reaction was immediate. A lapse by Khachanov on serve signified the first break of the match, granting the Spanish player the necessary advantage to play more freely from the baseline and keep the pressure on the Russian player, who until then seemed unbreakable.

Following this dynamic, the second set progressed, with Alcaraz not conceding any break points to Khachanov. In fact, at 5-3, it was Alcaraz who had a set point on his opponent's serve, although he could do little against the ace down the T that the Russian player executed. Eventually, Carlos closed the set with his service game to claim a 6-4 victory, leveling the match, in a set much less flashy than the first but where he showed his expertise to stay alive against a visibly fatigued Khachanov.

Alcaraz completes the comeback against Khachanov

Mirroring the previous sets, the first four games of the deciding set unfolded without much tension for the serving player. However, at 2-2, Alcaraz had a 30-40 opportunity that hinted at the first break of the decisive set, but once again, Khachanov relied on his serve to hold strong. At least, that seemed to be the case until the ATP's number one hit a crosscourt passing shot to secure the break and reach a commanding 6-3 lead, his first semifinal appearance in this tournament. He will face Andrey Rublev, the defending champion, who has yet to drop a set and poses a significant challenge. The Spanish player will need to be rock solid if he wants to trouble the Russian player and secure another final berth while preventing Sinner from closing the gap in the rankings.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alcaraz remonta a Khachanov y se mantiene invicto en 2026