Carlos Alcaraz comes good to see off Valentin Royer and reach Qatar Open quarter-finals - 'Prepared for everything'
Published 19/02/2026 at 00:05 GMT
Carlos Alcaraz came good in the nick of time as he beat Valentin Royer 6-2 7-5 on Wednesday to join Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open. The Australian Open champion did not have things all his own way though, having to win five games in a row to seal the match after falling 5-2 down in the second set. Alcaraz says he was "prepared" to go into a third set.
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Carlos Alcaraz believes he found "good rhythm again" after moving into the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open.
The Spaniard followed his first-round win over Arthur Rinderknech by beating Valentin Royer in straight sets on Wednesday. It means he joins World No. 2 Jannik Sinner in reaching the last eight.
It was the first time the Australian Open champion had come up against his French counterpart.
There were some real moments of jeopardy for Alcaraz, despite sealing a 6-2 7-5 victory.
The first set lasted just 36 minutes, with Alcaraz breezing into an early 3-1 lead after breaking in the third game.
He did face - and save - a couple of break points himself, but a second break for 5-2 provided an extra security blanket.
He soon sealed that set, and despite a real battle in the second set, claimed victory.
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"I’m just really pleased and really happy I was able to find good rhythm again, and good tennis," Alcaraz said on court following his win.
"It’s just about fighting. I know tennis. It’s just about one point, and sometimes it is really difficult to close out the set or the match.
"I just had to stay there, and I’m happy I turned it around and got the win in straight sets."
Winning in straight sets was not always a foregone conclusion though.
Royer raised his level as the match wore on, and had another break opportunity in Alcaraz's first service game of the second.
That turned into a 16-point battle that the Spaniard eventually won, only to be broken in his next service game.
Royer then staved off a break opportunity on his own serve and soon moved into a 5-2 lead.
But, within the nick of time, Alcaraz found his level again and reeled off five successive games to take the set, and the match.
"Obviously I had to be prepared for everything," Alcaraz continued after being quizzed about his doubts over winning the second set.
"There were some moments when I thought about a third set, I’m not going to lie, but obviously it was just a small place in my mind that was thinking that.
"The rest was working to find solutions, to find the right way again."
Alcaraz, who extended his winning run at the start of 2026 to nine matches, now faces a quarter-final clash with Karen Khachanov.
The former Australian Open semi-finalist reached the last eight in Doha by beating Marton Fucsovics in three sets.
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