Another day and another title for Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard defeated Alex De Minaur in 87 minutes (6-1, 6-4), claiming his maiden title in the Austrian capital at the Vienna Open 500.
Alcaraz has also extended his winning streak in ATP 500 events to 26 matches in a row, one of the outstanding records in the world number three’s collection.
Since returning from his wrist injury, Alcaraz has gone from strength to strength, improving areas of his game that were once seen as weaknesses.
The last defeat for Alcaraz at an ATP 500 event was to Holger Rune at the Barcelona Open in 2025
Alcaraz’s run to the final
Vienna was possibly Alcaraz’s strongest run of 2026. He didn’t drop a set despite facing a stacked field, including Tommy Paul, Daniil Medvedev and Alex De Minaur. All players are ranked inside the ATP top 15.
Alcaraz’s first opponent was Karen Khachanov, who poses a threat on indoor hard courts. Alcaraz won the first set 6-4 and dominated the baseline with his forehand, his dangerous weapon, which continues to improve after injury.
His serve still needs some work, with a plethora of double faults in the second set, which saw him lose serve after breaking Khachanov’s in the game prior.
Alcaraz rallied in the tiebreak to take set two and the match. He used his drop shot often to expose his opponent’s lack of speed compared to other players on the tour.
In round two, Alcaraz faced Georgia’s Nikoloz Basliashvili. Within half an hour, he took the opening set 6-1, and it looked as if Basliashvili’s race was run.
The Georgian struggled to deal with Alcaraz’s intensity and allowed the Spaniard to dominate all areas of the court. He often played into Alcaraz’s strengths, forcing his opponent into multiple errors.
In set two, Alcaraz started with a break of serve. He held to go 2-0 up, but Basliashvili found his footing and turned the match into a competitive bout.
Alcaraz was forced far behind the baseline, leading him to place shots into areas his opponent could punish. However, another tiebreak and another victory for Alcaraz, who pulled off some of his best tennis in the tournament.
His next opponent was Paul, a player who always brings out the best in Alcaraz. Matches between the pair are always exciting because their playstyles complement each other.
The match limited break point opportunities, but a pivotal moment saw Alcaraz break in the seventh game of set one.
The second seed orchestrated a play which forced Paul to the centre of the court. Alcaraz played a passing backhand shot to take the break of serve.
Alcaraz looked assured on serve and took the opening set 6-4.
Set two saw both players light up the court, with some of the points of the tournament contenders shared between the pair.
Once again, Alcaraz showcased his elite level in the tiebreak, extending the court and forcing Paul into playing into his forehand. Alcaraz hit multiple winners to take the second-set tiebreak and the match.
A similar pattern occurred versus his semi-final opponent Medvedev.
Alcaraz snatched the first set, 6-4, with a single break of serve, which frustrated Medvedev. The Russian’s immaculate reach and arm span allowed him to defend valiantly at the baseline. Yet Alcaraz forced errors and manufactured winners to lead.
In set two, both players gave it their all; Medvedev looked on top of rallies and had Alcaraz in heaps of trouble. A fourth match in a row for Alcaraz saw a second-set tiebreak, but again he prevailed.
Medvedev’s unforced error count grew, and despite keeping his emotions intact, his confidence dwindled, which Alcaraz took full advantage of.
The final
Alcaraz blasted his way to victory over Di Minaur, who rarely posed a threat in the match.
The Spaniard raced into a 6-1 lead in 37 minutes; his aggressive playstyle eliminated his opponent’s ability to utilise speed and agility. In the opening set, Alcaraz hit seven winners and broke the Australian’s serve three times.
Alcaraz dominated his opponent’s serve, as Di Minaur won only 48% of his first-serve points compared to Alcaraz’s 71%.
Di Minaur’s second serve was heavily punished too. The slower court allowed Alcaraz to return second serves heavily, allowing him to dictate rallies and take the points with ease.
In set two, the Australian number one settled into rallies and played some exquisite tennis. He pushed Alcaraz to his limit but fell short at the vital moment.
In the tenth game of the set, with the score at 5-4 to Alcaraz, Di Minaur’s mistakes crept back into his game.
A flurry of forehand strikes from Alcaraz forced his opponent to return the ball at the right height for Alcaraz to punish him.
On the final point of the match, Alcaraz pinned a ball right on the baseline, and Di Minaur left the ball expecting it to be called out. The ball landed just on the right side of the line, and Alcaraz claimed his 28th ATP Tour title.
Embed from Getty ImagesIn an interview post-match, Alcaraz said I tried to be aggressive and show him that if he wants to win, he has to play better, more aggressive, more solid, and be smarter than me.”
“I’m just really happy that at the end I found my way, played great, and obviously it has been a really emotional and amazing week for me.”
Alcaraz will now travel to Paris as he sets his sights on winning the Paris Masters 1000.
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