Carlos Alcaraz marked his return to action after his Australian Open triumph with a straight-sets victory over Arthur Rinderknech in the first round of the Qatar Open in Doha.
The Spaniard won 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) on Tuesday, overcoming a tough challenge from the world No. 30.
Alcaraz broke serve in the fifth game of the opening set to take control, but Rinderknech fought back in the second, forcing the top seed to save two break points before pushing the set into a tie-break. Alcaraz held firm, sealing the match with a forehand winner down the line.
“It was really difficult. Arthur is a dangerous player. I’m happy I stayed calm and positive, and played great tennis,” Alcaraz said after the win.
The victory sets up a second-round clash against another Frenchman, Valentin Royer, ranked 60th. Alcaraz, who lost in the quarter-finals on his Qatar Open debut last year, could face former champion Karen Khachanov in the last eight if he progresses further.
Meanwhile, Andrey Rublev advanced with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Jesper De Jong, while Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev also moved into the next round. Jiri Lehecka, who eliminated Alcaraz in last year’s tournament, began his campaign with a straight-sets win over Jenson Brooksby.
