Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz extended his flawless record this season by reaching the final of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open on Friday in Doha. The 22-year-old Spaniard, who recently completed the career Grand Slam at the Australian Open, secured a 7-6 (3), 6-4 win against defending champion Andrey Rublev, improving his season record to 11-0.
Despite the triumph, Alcaraz faced a challenging match as Rublev broke his serve twice while Alcaraz was serving to close out the first set. Furthermore, Alcaraz needed six match points across two games before finally sealing the victory.
Arthur Fils Advances to First Final Since Tokyo Victory
Alcaraz will face France’s Arthur Fils in the final, following Fils’ 6-4, 7-6 (4) win over sixth-seeded Jakub Mensik from the Czech Republic. This marks Fils’ return to a tour-level final after his title win in Tokyo earlier this year.
Highlights from the Delray Beach Open Quarterfinals and Semifinals
Meanwhile, in Delray Beach, Florida, fifth-seeded Tommy Paul defeated the tournament’s top seed, Taylor Fritz, 6-4, 6-3 in an all-American quarterfinal. Paul maintained his serve throughout the match and capitalized on three of eleven break-point opportunities against Fritz, who won the event in 2023 and 2024.
Paul is set to face Learner Tien in the semifinals after Tien overcame eighth-seeded Frances Tiafoe in a tightly contested three-set match, 7-6 (5), 3-6, 7-5.
Another semifinal spot was claimed by Sebastian Korda, who staged a comeback win against second seed Casper Ruud of Norway, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. Korda will meet third-seeded Flavio Cobolli, who defeated qualifier Coleman Wong from Hong Kong 7-5, 6-7 (7), 6-2.
Quarterfinal and Semifinal Updates from the Rio Open
In Rio de Janeiro, eighth-seeded Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina advanced to the semifinals by defeating Portugal’s Jaime Faria 7-6 (4), 6-4. The opening set featured a rare tiebreaker where neither player managed to hold serve consistently, with Etcheverry eventually securing the set after Faria served two consecutive lost points.
Etcheverry will face Czech player Vit Kopriva, who won his quarterfinal 6-4, 6-4 against Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo.
The other semifinal slot was claimed by Peruvian Ignacio Buse following his three-set victory over Italy’s Matteo Berrettini, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3. The final quarterfinal match awaited completion on Friday night, with Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante competing against Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo.
