Carlos Alcaraz, the Spanish tennis sensation, was a leading contender for the Doha ATP 500 this week. However, his journey in the Qatar tournament concluded in the quarterfinals as he was ousted by Jiri Lehecka. Alcaraz’s performance was a roller-coaster ride, marked by a series of highs and lows. It reflected the need for him to enhance his match management skills, pointing out that there’s still room for significant improvement.
Despite losing the first set, Alcaraz, a former world No.1, managed to reverse the match’s momentum. He won the second set and even led with a break in the third. The 21-year-old Murcia native had an opportunity to widen his lead to 5-2. However, the Czech player Lehecka managed to hold his ground before launching into a powerful streak of four consecutive games.
Alcaraz’s serve faltered in the final stages of the match, giving Lehecka the courage to secure the most significant victory of his career. This loss for Alcaraz, his second in the 2025 season following his defeat by Nole Djokovic at the Australian Open, meant he missed a crucial opportunity to narrow the gap with Alexander Zverev and Jannik Sinner in the ATP rankings.
Despite Jannik’s suspension from the professional tour until May 4 due to an agreement with WADA, Alcaraz faces a challenging task. His aspiration to reclaim the first position by the Rome Masters 1000 seems a distant dream. The current world number 3 is still significantly behind his primary rival, and his early exit from Doha has further reduced his chances.
Alcaraz reflected on his performance, stating, “Perhaps my serve could have been better in the final part of the match, but I don’t think I played poorly at that moment. I had the opportunity to lead 5-2, and the match could have finished there, but he played well at that point and scored some brilliant points in the following games. I will endeavor to gain knowledge from this defeat.”
Alcaraz’s next stop will be the Indian Wells Masters 1000, a tournament where he has enjoyed victories in the last two editions. As he moves forward, his focus will be on learning from his losses and improving his game to rise in the ATP rankings.