Carlos Alcaraz Survives Luca Nardi Fightback to Reach Qatar Open Quarter-Finals

Image credits: Martin Rickett/PA

Carlos Alcaraz withstood a late charge from Italian qualifier Luca Nardi to reach the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open in Doha. The 21-year-old top seed won 6-1 4-6 6-3 but not before Nardi had rallied to fight back from a set down and 1-4 down in the second to hand the world number three a scare. At one stage the Italian clocked up six consecutive games to force a decider but Alcaraz ultimately saw it through in one hour and 53 minutes.

The four-time Grand Slam winner, who is now on a 12-match winning streak, will face the Czech Jiri Lehecka in the last eight after he defeated Fabian Marozsan 6-4 6-2. It leaves Alcaraz on track to meet British number one Jack Draper in the semi-final after his 6-2 6-1 win over Australian Christopher O’Connell. The 23-year-old broke serve in the first game and repeated the feat at 4-2, with O’Connell taking just one game in the second set to exit in 59 minutes. His quarter-final opponent will be Matteo Berrettini, who built on victory over Novak Djokovic on Tuesday to progress to the last-eight by beating Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 6-7 6-4 and is yet to have his serve broken so far in Doha.

Here are the match scores for the mentioned players:

• Carlos Alcaraz vs Luca Nardi: 6-1 4-6 6-3
• Jack Draper vs Christopher O’Connell: 6-2 6-1
• Matteo Berrettini vs Tallon Griekspoor: 7-6 6-7 6-4
• Alex de Minaur vs Botic van de Zandschulp: 6-4 6-4
• Andrey Rublev vs Nuno Borges: 6-3 6-4

The Italian was pushed hard by his opponent with the second set going to a tense tie-break from which the Dutchman emerged victorious before the unseeded Berrettini won through in the third. The win against Djokovic had been his first over a top-10 opponent since January 2023. Elsewhere in Doha, Alex de Minaur claimed a 6-4 6-4 victory over Botic van de Zandschulp, his 200th tour-level hard-court win to set up a quarter-final against fifth seed Andrey Rublev, who beat Nuno Borges 6-3 6-4.

World number six Daniil Medvedev beat Zizou Bergs 6-2 6-1 and will face Felix Auger-Aliassime, who was given a walkover against Hamad Medjedovic after the Serbian withdrew through injury. In the doubles, Wimbledon champions Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara eliminated the pairing of Djokovic and Fernando Verdasco, the second seeds winning through 7-5 6-4. It was the final match of 41-year-old Verdasco’s career, as the Spaniard called time on his 24 years as a professional. The Qatar Open is one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world, and the players are competing for a spot in the finals. The tennis world is watching as these players battle it out for the top prize. With the competition heating up, it will be exciting to see who comes out on top.

The tournament has seen some exciting matches so far, with many top players competing for a spot in the quarter-finals. The players have been training hard and using various strategies to outmaneuver their opponents. As the tournament progresses, the stakes will get higher, and the players will have to be at the top of their game to succeed. With the crowd cheering them on, the players will have to stay focused and use all their skills to win. The Qatar Open is a great opportunity for the players to showcase their talents and compete against the best in the world.

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