Carlos Alcaraz is into yet another final, having beaten Andrey Rublev just yesterday in Qatar.
It marks a continuation of his blistering form in 2026, as he has yet to be beaten this year.
Arthur Fils will be the latest man tasked with trying to inflict defeat on the world number one.
It’s hard to really see anyone challenging Carlos Alcaraz given his current form, with even Jannik Sinner having faltered before meeting him in the final in both events they’ve featured in now.
The 22-year-old discussed the Italian’s shock quarterfinal defeat to Jakub Mensik, and explained why he feels results like this do not happen more often.
Carlos Alcaraz reacts to Jannik Sinner’s loss in Qatar
Speaking to Spanish reporters after his win over Rublev, Alcaraz began by reacting to the news that he had just reached 66 weeks as the world number one.
He admitted: “It’s going to be a fantastic number, obviously.
“My goal is simply to stay at the top as many weeks as I can and reach or try to reach the final of all tournaments. I’m very happy to have achieved it in the last tournament.”
Then asked about Sinner’s defeat to Mensik, Alcaraz used this as an opportunity to explain why he feels the rest of the tour are struggling to regularly compete with him.
The Spaniard stated: “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. There are some players who are really dangerous when they have a good day.
“For example, Mensik and many other players, their problem is, I would say, consistency, and playing at that level in all games. But when they have a good day, they are really dangerous and can beat anyone, including myself.
“So, in a way, I was surprised, but at the same time, I was not surprised at all. I’m just happy to see that I have a big advantage in points, but I’ll try to keep focusing on it.”
Carlos Alcaraz’s head-to-head record vs Arthur Fils
Today’s Qatar Open final promises to be an enthralling one, pitting two of the ATP Tour’s hottest young prospects against one another, with a title on the line.
And, given Fils has been backed to disrupt Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominance once fully fit, his run to this final has only confirmed that notion.
This is just the third tournament that the Frenchman has played since taking a huge enforced break from the sport, nursing a back injury that completely curtailed his 2025 season.
The way in which he’s bounced straight back to fitness is astounding, but facing Alcaraz demands another level entirely.
Fils has faced the seven-time Grand Slam champion just twice before, losing on both occasions.
However, those results came in 2025, whilst his fitness issues were still very much prevalent.