Carlos Alcaraz erases Doha demons with dominant title run

The desert air in Doha carries a certain weight for those who have left the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex with the sting of “what if.”

For Carlos Alcaraz, that weight has been a constant companion since his exit from the tournament a year ago. Returning to the site of a disappointing quarterfinal finish, the Spaniard, in addition to looking for another trophy to add to his burgeoning collection, was also looking for closure.

In a performance that felt more like an inevitability than a contest, Alcaraz dismantled the field to claim the Doha title, effectively erasing the ghosts of his previous campaign.

For a player who has already scaled the heights of the sport, this week was about a specific kind of mental grit — the ability to return to a place of failure and rewrite the ending.

Speaking to the press while still radiating the adrenaline of a lopsided final victory, Alcaraz was candid about the motivation that fueled his flight to Qatar. When asked if he arrived feeling he had a score to settle, the champion didn’t hesitate.

“Yes a little bit you know, I remember the feeling that I had last year leaving the quarterfinals,” Alcaraz admitted. It is a rare glimpse into the psyche of a champion who, despite having “pretty much achieved everything,” still finds fuel in the small, localized frustrations of the tour.

“I came this year hungry for more angry for go farther in in this tournament,” he added, his words reflecting a blend of youthful ambition and a seasoned professional’s discipline.

Throughout the week, that hunger was palpable. Alcaraz moved through the draw with a clinical efficiency that suggested he was playing a different sport than his peers.

He was executing a predetermined plan. The narrative of “finished business” was not just a media construct, but a internal mission statement for the Alcaraz camp.

“I think after every tournament we just got to set up new new goals, new things and put in the table,” Alcaraz explained when reflecting on his preparation.

For Doha, those goals were specific. He spoke of the objectives he “really wanted to do through the week,” and the satisfaction of checking those boxes one by one.

The culmination of this mission was a final that bordered on the surreal.

In just 50 minutes, Alcaraz dismantled his opponent, Arthur Fils, in a display of power and precision that left the crowd — and the journalists — stunned. By the time he walked into the press room, the “unfinished” aspect of his journey had been resolved.

“I yeah I feel like the job is finished right now,” he stated with the quiet confidence of a man who had done exactly what he set out to do.

In addition to the points or the prize money, this was also about the completion of a cycle. He later reiterated the sentiment, noting, “it feels like the job is finished right now which is great”.

What makes this victory particularly impactful is the maturity Alcaraz displayed in managing his own expectations. He acknowledged that the path to the title wasn’t always perfect, admitting that at one point his level was “a little below comparing to the other days,” but he stayed the course.

By the time he lifted the trophy, the transformation from the frustrated quarterfinalist of last year to the triumphant champion of today was complete. The “hungry” and “angry” player who landed in Doha had been replaced by a man who could finally breathe easy in the desert heat.

“Lifting a trophy in Doha for the first time it feels amazing,” he concluded.