Carlos Alcaraz is back in a familiar position: one win away from another trophy. The Spaniard has looked increasingly comfortable on indoor hard courts in Vienna, but reaching the final required more than just his natural shot-making. After taking down Daniil Medvedev in a tight semifinal, the seven-time Grand Slam champion opened up about the work behind his run. His coach, Samuel Lopez, also had a timely message for him when the pressure began to rise.
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Alcaraz defeated Medvedev 6-4, 7-6(2) on Saturday to reach his first Vienna Open final. The victory marked his 37th tour-level final and fifth of the 2026 season. It also ended Medvedev’s seven-match winning streak and gave the Spaniard a chance to extend his impressive run at ATP 500 events.
Speaking after the match, Alcaraz made it clear that his performance was the result of sustained effort across different areas of his game.
“I’ve been working really hard in every aspect of my game to try to be in a good state for this tournament, try to give myself another chance to go far in the tournament,” he said.
The Spaniard was particularly pleased to reach another final and earn an opportunity to compete for his first Vienna title. He also stressed the importance of recovering properly before the championship match, both physically and mentally.
“I’m just really really happy to be able to play another final, first one here in Vienna and I will try to make the most of the time to be in a good shape, to recover well, to be properly physically and mentally for tomorrow. It’s been a great week and I’m looking forward to playing tomorrow,” Alcaraz said.
The semifinal tested his composure. Medvedev had arrived in Vienna with considerable momentum after winning the Almaty Open and extending his winning streak to seven matches. Alcaraz secured the opening set after a crucial breakthrough on return, but the Russian raised his level in the second and forced a tiebreak.
Alcaraz then took control with aggressive groundstrokes and won five consecutive points at a crucial stage of the breaker. He closed out the contest in 96 minutes, showing the attacking intent he believed was necessary to overcome a dangerous opponent.
“I trusted my level all the time. Doesn’t matter what moment of the match it was, I trusted my tennis and that I had to be aggressive, go for the big shots, I’m happy because in the tiebreak I made a couple of great points where I was really aggressive,” he explained.
That confidence also reflected the message coming from his coaching box. Lopez urged his player to trust his ability and hit through the ball rather than hesitate against Medvedev.
Lopez was heard telling Alcaraz: “Stick out your chest. Play. Tell him who you are. Hit the ball harder, because you can hit it even harder.”
It was a direct message at a time when Alcaraz needed to maintain his attacking approach. Medvedev had already demonstrated that he could drag the match into a tight contest, but the Spaniard backed his own level when the second-set tiebreak arrived. His response helped him secure a place in another final.
Alex de Minaur Gives Alcaraz Another Challenge in Vienna
Alcaraz’s next opponent will be Alex de Minaur, who produced a major upset by defeating Alexander Zverev 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(4) in the other semifinal. The Australian recovered after Zverev dominated the second set and held his nerve in a tense deciding tiebreak.
The victory also strengthened De Minaur’s bid to qualify for the ATP Finals in Turin. He moved into the qualifying positions in the live race and reached his fourth final of the season.
However, the Australian faces a difficult task against Alcaraz. The Spaniard has won all six of their previous tour-level meetings, and Sunday’s clash will be their first championship match in Vienna. De Minaur will be looking to break that run and claim his first victory over the seven-time Grand Slam champion.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, enters the final on a 25-match winning streak at ATP 500 events, according to the ATP Tour. After crediting his preparation for his progress in Vienna, he now has another opportunity to turn that work into silverware. Lopez’s message has already helped him through one demanding test. The final will show whether Alcaraz can maintain that aggressive approach for one more match.