Everyone had to assume that the Qatar ExxonMobil Open final would be a new chapter in the rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
Arthur Fils is glad that is not the case.
Jakub Mensik ousted Sinner in the quarter-finals and Fils took advantage of that development by beating the Czech 6-4, 7-6(4) in the semi-finals. The reward for the 21-year-old is a third confrontation with Alcaraz, who unsurprisingly leads the head-to-head series 2-0. Alcaraz won twice on clay in 2025: 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 at the Monte Carlo Masters and 6-2, 6-4 in the Barcelona semi-finals.
The world number 1 is about to start this season. His perfect 11-0 record includes a first-ever Australian Open title to complete his Grand Slam career, followed by Doha victories over Arthur Rinderknech, Valentin Royer, Karen Khachanov (three sets) and Andrey Rublev.
Fils missed the second half of 2025 due to a back injury, but his comeback is likely going better than even he could have expected. The Frenchman advanced to the quarter-finals of Montpellier and now finds himself in the championship match of an ATP 500 event after defeats to Mensik, Kamil Majchrzak, Quentin Halys and Jiri Lehecka.
Unfortunately for Fils, Alcaraz is 25-8 for life in the ATP finals. Since February 2023, the 22-year-old Spaniard has lost only one final to someone other than Sinner or Novak Djokovic (Holger Rune in Barcelona last spring). Count on Alcaraz to win another trophy on Saturday evening.
Choice: Alcaraz in 2
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