The final of the 2026 Qatar Open is set: Carlos Alcaraz versus Arthur Fils.
Alcaraz booked his place in the championship match after dethroning last year’s winner, Andrey Rublev.
The Spaniard, still undefeated in 2026, won in straight sets and will now have the chance to secure his second title of the season.
Fils, on the other hand, defeated Jakub Mensik in the semifinals after the Czech star had knocked out Jannik Sinner.
Is it time to start worrying about Jannik Sinner yet?
He has not looked himself in 2026…
He and Alcaraz have only ever played each other twice before on the ATP Tour, with the most recent clash coming at the Barcelona Open last year.
Carlos Alcaraz’s last match with Arthur Fils on the ATP Tour
The two young stars met in the semifinal of the ATP 500 event, just over a week after their first career meeting at the Monte-Carlo Masters.
Fils delivered an impressive performance in their Monte-Carlo showdown, and looked for a moment as if he was about to come away with the victory.
He took Alcaraz to three sets on the clay, and earned the first break of serve in the decider, but ultimately the eventual champion emerged triumphant.
In their Barcelona matchup, Alcaraz refused to get off to a slow start and drew first blood in convincing fashion.
After clinching the opener 6-2, Alcaraz was slightly tested by Fils in the second set, but managed to come out on top.
Having played each other on clay in both of their meetings, Alcaraz’s bout with Fils in the Qatar Open final will be their first on a hard court.
Arthur Fils’ return to ATP Tour action in 2026 so far
Fils’ impressive run in Doha comes in just his third tournament back from injury, after being sidelined for a large portion of 2025.
The Frenchman suffered a stress fracture in his back at Roland Garros last year, and only returned in February.
Is Arthur Fils a genuine threat to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner?
He made his comeback in Montpellier, where Fils earned two victories before bowing out to Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarterfinals.
After suffering a first-round exit in Rotterdam to Alex de Minaur, he then entered the Qatar Open, where he has dropped just one set so far.
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