World number three Carlos Alcaraz is through to the Qatar Open quarter-finals, after defeating Luca Nardi 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 in the second round on the evening of February 19.
Alcaraz would have finished the match in two sets if he hadn’t suddenly lost his rhythm when leading 4-1 in the second set. This was when Nardi scored impressive points when he played with nothing to lose, and gradually overwhelmed Alcaraz. The Italian won five games in a row against the number one seed, to take the match to a deciding set.
Alcaraz hit a forehand in the match against Nardi, in the second round of the Qatar Open on February 19. Photo: ATP
After being a bit stunned by his opponent’s rise, Alcaraz regained his form in the third set. The 21-year-old’s varied attacks, playing all over the court and diversely, made it impossible for Nardi to maintain his momentum. As well as winning the first set 6-1, Alcaraz barely lost a long rally, before closing the match with a difficult serve.
“At 4-1, 40/40 in the second set, Nardi had a few good points and started playing like the world number one,” Alcaraz said after the match. “I couldn’t do anything, just trying to keep my spirits up. My energy was probably down a little bit at the end of the second set. Luckily, I forgot everything at the start of the third set.”
Alcaraz won his 12th consecutive ATP 500 match, since his Beijing title in October 2024. He came to Doha after winning the Rotterdam Open earlier this month, becoming the youngest player to collect a complete ATP 500 set on three surfaces.
Alcaraz will play Jiri Lehecka in the quarter-finals, and then Matteo Berrettini or Jack Draper in the semi-finals. This draw is easier for Alcaraz after third seed Novak Djokovic was eliminated in the first round. In the lower bracket, second-placed title contender Alex de Minaur also advanced to the quarter-finals after defeating Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4, 6-4. The Australian will next face Andrey Rublev, followed by either Felix Auger-Aliassime or Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals.