Just like the rest of the tennis world, Carlos Alcaraz was surprised by Jannik Sinner’s shock exit from the Qatar Open, as it looked like the famed duo would once again lock horns in the summit clash. Sixth-seeded Jakub Mensik defeated Sinner in a thrilling quarterfinal on Friday night.
While Mensik failed to reach the final to fight Alcaraz for the title, the rising Czech star had his day against Sinner, as he notched up a famous three-set win. The reigning Australian Open champion, Alcaraz, addressed the media after defeating Andrey Rublev in the semifinal and said:
“I mean, I was surprised, I’m not going to lie, I was surprised that Jannik lost. But at the same time, I know what the players are capable of. For example, there are some players that are really dangerous, because when they have their days, for example, Mensik and a lot of players,” Alcaraz said.
“Their problems, I would say, is the consistency to play at that level every match. But when they have their days, they are really, really dangerous and they can beat anybody, including myself. So I was surprised in a way, but at the same time, I wasn’t at all,” he added.
Carlos Alcaraz to Face Arthur Fils in the Qatar Open Final
Alcaraz is aiming to win his second title of the year and has a great chance to add the Qatar Open title to his cabinet, which already has the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup, won in Melbourne on February 1. Young French sensation Arthur Fils stands in the way of the Spaniard and the ATP 500 title.
Fils surprised Mensik in the semifinals, beating him in straight sets to set up a summit clash with Alcaraz. The Spaniard is 2-0 against Fils in their head-to-head record, with both wins coming on clay in 2025. Their most recent match was the Barcelona Open semifinal, where Alcaraz dispatched the Frenchman 6-2, 6-4.
Alcaraz will aim to carry the positive momentum into Saturday’s final and maintain his status as the man to beat in men’s singles this season. He is 11-0 so far in 2026.
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