Alcaraz and Rublev to clash in Doha semifinal

World No. 1 Alcaraz and No. 14 Rublev set to meet for the 6th time in their careers

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz and No. 14 Andrey Rublev will face off in the semifinal of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha on Friday. This will be the 6th career meeting between the two, with Alcaraz holding a 4-1 head-to-head advantage, including a win in their last matchup in Cincinnati last year.

Why it matters

Alcaraz and Rublev are two of the top players on the ATP Tour, with Alcaraz currently ranked world No. 1 and Rublev at No. 14. Their matchup in the Doha semifinal will be a highly anticipated clash between two of the game's rising stars as they compete for a spot in the tournament final.

The details

Alcaraz reached the semifinal after defeating Arthur Rinderknech, Valentin Royer, and Karen Khachanov. Rublev defeated Jesper De Jong, Fabian Marozsan, and Stefanos Tsitsipas to advance. In their previous meeting in Cincinnati last year, Alcaraz won 6-3, 4-6, 7-5.

  • The Alcaraz vs. Rublev semifinal match is scheduled for Friday, February 20, 2026 at 7:30 pm local time.

The players

Carlos Alcaraz

The current world No. 1 player on the ATP Tour, Alcaraz has a 10-0 record so far in 2026 and won the Australian Open earlier this year.

Andrey Rublev

Ranked No. 14 in the world, Rublev is a two-time champion at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, having won the title in 2020 and 2025.

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What they’re saying

“This will be a great match between two of the top players in the world right now. Alcaraz and Rublev have a history of close battles, so I'm expecting another exciting matchup.”

— Mark Hall, Tennis writer (tennistonic.com)

The takeaway

This semifinal clash between world No. 1 Alcaraz and No. 14 Rublev promises to be a high-quality and closely contested match as the two young stars continue to establish themselves among the ATP's elite players.