Qatar Open 2026: World No.1 Alcaraz sparks scandal on court after disputed call
Carlos Alcaraz (photo: x.com/carlosalcaraz)
World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz lost his temper during the quarterfinal of the ATP 500 tournament in Doha. The Spanish star got into a heated argument with chair umpire Maria Chichak over a strict time violation warning.
RBC-Ukraine reports on the course of the match and the final result.
Conflict at the start of the match
The quarterfinal clash between Carlos Alcaraz and Karen Khachanov was marked by a dramatic incident.
Despite a strong start, the Spanish player received an official warning from chair umpire Maria Chichak for exceeding the 25-second limit allowed to prepare for a serve.
The incident occurred in the first set, when Alcaraz decided to use his towel after a long rally. The umpire recorded a timing violation, which immediately triggered a reaction from the player.
Chichak explained that the timer had been stopped exactly when Alcaraz reached for his towel, but the 25-second limit had already been exceeded.
"I stopped the clock at 25 seconds when it started, then you took the towel, and it started again," the umpire told the player.
Alcaraz reacted emotionally, accusing the umpire of bias.
"So I don’t have the right to touch my towel? I don’t have the right!" he shouted in response to the warning.
Alcaraz still upset about the time violation warning he received during his match against Khachanov in Doha:
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 19, 2026
Carlos: "The ATP rules are always shit. They're shit."
Umpire: "Ok. Well, I think we got the point."
pic.twitter.com/HIcl14jQcg
Even after winning the game, the Spaniard did not calm down.
During the changeover, he continued pressing the umpire, ironically asking if he needed to run to the baseline to comply with the time limits.
"What should I do next time? Run to the baseline?" the player asked.
The umpire tried to calm him down, showing some sympathy, but emphasized that the rules could not be ignored.
"I understand, but I have to work with what I have. I can’t make more time," Chichak replied.
Harsh criticism of ATP rules
Tensions peaked when Alcaraz openly criticized the current regulations.
After his remarks, he completely lost his composure, directly attacking the ATP system.
"The ATP rules are always shit. They're shit," Alcaraz said.
Commentators noted that usually composed and positive Carlos looked angrier than ever.
Maria Chichak ended the discussion with a brief remark acknowledging the player’s position and urged them to continue the match.
Alcaraz’s previous disputes
This was not the first time Alcaraz has shown frustration with timing rules.
Last September, at a tournament in Japan, he told an umpire that they had "never played tennis in their life" after receiving a similar warning following a long rally.
Interestingly, Alcaraz not only criticizes officials but sometimes defends fellow players.
For example, last month, he asked for a penalty against Alex de Minaur to be overturned, arguing that the opponent simply wasn’t ready to receive the serve.
However, in Doha, he had to defend his own position, which ended in a direct attack on ATP rules.
Earlier, we covered Ukraine’s world No.1 Elina Svitolina, who reached the semifinals of the Dubai Super Tournament.
