Carlos Alcaraz Advances to Qatar Open Quarter-finals

Fernando Verdasco expressed skepticism regarding Carlos Alcaraz's ability to match Rafael Nadal's 22 Grand Slam titles, citing the dominance of Alcaraz and fellow player Jannik Sinner in the current tennis landscape. Verdasco's comments came as he concluded his career at the Qatar Open, where he also indicated that Alcaraz and Sinner are positioned to lead the sport after the Big 3 era. In the Qatar Open, Alcaraz advanced to the quarterfinals despite a second-set setback against Luca Nardi, ultimately winning the match 6-1, 4-6, 6-3. Alcaraz acknowledged the challenge presented by Nardi, emphasizing his mental strength in recovering for the decisive third set. The young Spaniard's next opponent will be Jiri Lehecka, who also secured a place in the quarterfinals. Other top seeds, including Alex de Minaur and Daniil Medvedev, also progressed in the tournament, setting up an exciting series of matches ahead.