'Proud Of The Fight'! Carlos Alcaraz Rallies Past Karen Khachanov To Move Into Qatar Semis!

Last Updated:February 20, 2026, 08:10 IST

The 22-year-old Spaniard fought back to register a 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-3 win in the quarter-final over Khachanov in the quarterfinal engagement in Doha on Friday.

World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz rallied from behind to defeat Karen Khachanov on Thursday, to book his place in the semi-finals of the Qatar Open.

The 22-year-old Spaniard, who became the youngest to complete a career Slam with his triumph in Australia last month, fought back to register a 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-3 win in the quarter-final over Khachanov.

Alcaraz, who is participating in his first tournament since completing his career Grand Slam at the Australian Open earlier in February, Alcaraz will next face Andrey Rublev for a spot in the final in Doha.

“It was a really close and tight match," Alcaraz said after his win.

“I think Karen was playing great, but I knew I’d had my chances. I just didn’t take them in the first set, so it was the time to keep going and try to keep fighting."

“I’m just really proud about the way that I fought," he said.

The first set moved towards a tie-break as neither Alcaraz nor Khachanov could break through each other’s serve. Khachanov then raced into a 6-1 lead in the breaker before finally converting set-point on his third attempt.

But seven-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz clawed his way back into the match by breaking Khachanov’s serve to 15 in the fifth game of the second set. Alcaraz repeated the feat by breaking the Russian’s serve at 2-2 to gain an advantage in the third set.

The world number one then broke the seventh seed in the ninth game to secure his place in the semi-finals in style. He will meet fifth seed Rublev, who won his quarter-final match against former world number three Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6 (7/2).

Earlier in the day,

Jakub Mensik pulled off one of the biggest wins of his career as she showed World No. 2 Jannik Sinner the exit door in a three-setter.

Italian Sinner succumbed to Czech ace Mensik, 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 6-3 in the former’s first event since his Australian Open semifinal defeat.

News sports tennis 'Proud Of The Fight'! Carlos Alcaraz Rallies Past Karen Khachanov To Move Into Qatar Semis!

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