Carlos Alcaraz put on a stellar performance as he dominated French opponent Arthur Rinderknech in Doha, securing his return to competitive tennis with an impressive 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) victory. The young Spaniard, who completed his career Grand Slam at the Australian Open last year, displayed resilience and composure throughout both sets.
“I found a lot of difficulty against Arthur,” Alcaraz reflected. “He is a dangerous player to play against in this opening round. I’m glad to have gotten through those moments, staying calm and playing great tennis.”
Following his match with Rinderknech, Alcaraz will face 60th-ranked Valentin Royer in the second round of Doha’s WTA 1000 tournament. His next opponent on the draw is No. 7 seed Karen Khachanov, who he last defeated in a quarter-final match back in 2023.
Meanwhile, French Open champion Coco Gauff bounced back from her disappointing early exit at the Qatar Open by breezing past Anna Kalinskaya in just over an hour of play on Tuesday. The American showed no signs of weakness as she dispatched Kalinskaya with a dominant 6-4, 6-4 victory, propelling herself into the last 16 of the tournament.
Gauff’s return to winning form followed her shock exit from Doha earlier this week and has already caught the attention for her comments about immigration policies. Despite having some inconsistency issues in Dubai, Gauff was able to break Kalinskaya’s serve six times en route to victory.
Meanwhile, world No. 1 Elena Rybakina bounced back after a tough quarter-final loss at the Qatar Open by defeating Dutch wildcard Kimberly Birrell in straight sets. She will face Croatian lucky loser Antonia Ruzic in her last 16 match. Both she and Alcaraz find themselves with favorable draw placements following various withdrawals from high-profile players.
The tournament is facing significant headwinds due to major withdrawals like No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, leaving many other players in the spotlight for their potential run at success in Doha.