Tensions briefly boiled over in Doha as Carlos Alcaraz found himself arguing with the chair umpire mid-match – all because of a ticking serve clock. Facing Karen Khachanov in the quarterfinal of the Qatar Open, Alcaraz had just saved a break point with a spectacular rally and celebrated the moment. But seconds later, the drama shifted from the baseline to the umpire’s chair. What exactly happened, though?

After walking toward his towel before serving again, the Spaniard was handed a time violation, triggering a heated exchange. The umpire insisted, “I stopped the time.” Alcaraz immediately disagreed: “No, you didn’t.” The official clarified, “I did. I stopped time at 25 seconds when it started. Then you got the towel. Then I started the clock again.” Still unconvinced, the 21-year-old pressed further:

“How much time did you stop the clock? Tell me,” he asked. She responded, “Carlos, I stopped it til you reached there. I stopped it at 25 seconds until you actually reached the towel.” Alcaraz replied, “Alright. So I’m not allowed to go to the towel.” The umpire maintained her stance: “I stopped it till you reached the area there where you asked the kid to get the towel… I can’t cancel it.” Frustrated, Alcaraz concluded:
“I’m not allowed to go to the towel. I’m not allowed.” The umpire answered, “Yes, I understand. But I can’t do anything.”

Even Khachanov reportedly approached the chair, asking for the violation to be cancelled, but the decision stood. Despite the distraction, the match remained fiercely competitive. Carlos Alcaraz went on to win the point needed to keep his serve. But again, he was seen arguing with the chair umpire, venting out his frustration over the controversial moment during the change of ends.

Khachanov won the first set by 7-6(3). Alcaraz responded with a 6-4 second set. Then the reigning Australian Open champion raised his level to close the decider 6-3, booking a semi-final clash against Andrey Rublev. Speaking afterward, the Spaniard explained his frustration – not just with the decision, but with the rule itself.

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“Honestly, I think the time rule is absurd. After a very demanding point, finishing at the net, sprinting to my towel, I practically had no time left. She (the chair umpire) told me she stopped the clock when I was on my towel, but from then until I called for the balls and prepared to serve, I had no time to spare. To me, that makes no sense. Besides, the crowd was still shouting and cheering, which also caused delays. I looked at the clock when there were three or four seconds left, and I didn’t have enough time to serve, but she still gave me a warning .”

Carlos Alcaraz thinks there should be a bit more leniency, even a reconsideration of the rule, because, according to him, in such tough matches, the same thing always happens to him time and again. He feels this is pretty “ridiculous.”

He even added, “The ATP says it wants to attract more people, to broaden its audience. If they don’t allow us time to recover between points to offer the best possible level, everything goes too fast, and it’s difficult to engage the crowd.” He urged the umpires to be a bit more flexible with this and, if possible, add a few more seconds to the clock.

Other than this controversial moment, what did the Spaniard say about this hard-fought victory against a familiar opponent in Doha? Let’s find out.

Carlos Alcaraz’s hilarious exchange with Karen Khachanov at the nets

In the previous match, we saw the Frenchman Valentin Royer offering a subtle warning after giving a tough fight against Carlos Alcaraz. Following his 2-6, 5-7 loss to the Spaniard, he was seen shaking hands with Alcaraz at the net and saying, “I’ll come to you and Jannik, don’t worry. Some day.” Replying to that, Alcaraz gave a broad smile and “I will wait for you, man.” Now, after the QF match against Karen Khachanov, the Russian was heard asking Alcaraz, “You never get tired? You never get tired?”

In reply, Carlitos jokingly said, “I try not to.” Then Khachanov added, “One time, get tired. One time.” This was Alcaraz’s sixth win in their six meetings. But Khachanov did really give a tough fight in this match.

World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz had to dig deep to secure a spot in the SF of the Qatar Open for the very first time in his career. He turned a tight contest into a statement comeback to keep his unbeaten season alive.

After the match, the Spaniard reflected on just how close the encounter had been. “It was a really close and tight match. In the first set, I had a few break points, and I couldn’t make them. One set point and I couldn’t make it, so it was really tough.” He further added, “I think Karen was playing great, but I knew I’d had my chances. I just didn’t take them in the first set, so it was time to keep going and try to keep fighting. Wait for my chances and try to take them in the second set. I’m just really proud about the way that I [fought].”

Both players traded heavy baseline blows throughout the match, but Alcaraz found another gear when it mattered most. Fresh off his Australian Open triumph, the 22-year-old continues to dominate early 2026. He now has a 10-0 win-loss record in 2026, and guess what? Alcaraz is now 12-0 in tour-level quarter-finals since losing to Jiri Lehecka in Doha last year.

Carlos Alcaraz also spoke about recurring matchups helping his development, particularly against Khachanov and Arthur Rinderknech. “The truth is, especially against Rinderknech (5-0) and Khachanov (6-0), the matches have always been tough and very close. Since I have certain opponents who serve as a reference point for me to improve, they perhaps see me the same way: as a mirror to see what they can do better. That makes me happy, because tennis is about evolving, about progressing…”

What are your thoughts on Alcaraz’s incredible run in 2026? Share your thoughts with us in the comment box.