WATCH: 'Rules are s**t': Alcaraz rages at umpire over time violation in Doha
NewsFriday, 20 February 2026 at 10:31
Carlos Alcaraz is back on the tennis courts at the 2026 Qatar Open in Doha, but he got very upset during his quarter-final match at the ATP 500 event.
Alcaraz has yet to lose a tennis match in 2026. He started the season by winning the Australian Open, and now, he has also managed to win his first three matches at the Qatar Open in Doha. He beat Frenchmen Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Royer without losing a set, but a more challenging obstacle to clear came in the form of Karen Khachanov in the quarter-finals.
Khachanov is a consistent Top 20 player and has the qualities needed to upset the best. Alcaraz saw that on the court, as he needed three sets to beat Khachanov 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-3. The first set lasted an hour and 11 minutes, and it was also the set when the Spanish player got very upset by the umpire of the match, Marija Cicak.
Cicak is one of the most experienced umpires in tennis, and she's also known for being strict. In the match between Alcaraz and Khachanov, she gave the world No. 1 player a time violation warning at 4-4, in a game in which Alcaraz faced a break point.
It wasn't the first time Alcaraz received a time violation in his career, as he is sometimes prone to going over the allowed time between points, especially after exhausting rallies. He didn't agree with the ruling this time either, but the umpire explained to him that she even stopped the clock to give him more points.
"I stopped time at 25 seconds when it started. Then you got the towel. Then I started the clock again. Carlos, I stopped it til you reached there. I stopped it at 25 seconds til you actually reached the towel. I stopped it til you reached the area, where you asked the kid to get the towel… I can’t cancel it."
Alcaraz was very angry about Cicak's decision, and continued to show his frustration even during the changeover. The seven-time major winner called the rules "s**t."
"The ATP rules are always s**t. They're s**t."
After the match, Alcaraz was asked about the incident once again. He called the rule "absurd," complaining that after long rallies, he doesn't have enough time to grab his towel and prepare for the next rally.
"Honestly, I think the time rule is absurd. After a very demanding point, finishing at the net, sprinting to my towel, I practically had no time left. She (the chair umpire) told me she stopped the clock when I was on my towel, but from then until I called for the balls and prepared to serve, I had no time to spare. To me, that makes no sense."
"Besides, the crowd was still shouting and cheering, which also causes delays. I looked at the clock when there were three or four seconds left and I didn't have enough time to serve, but she still gave me a warning . Personally, I think there should be a bit more leniency, even a reconsideration of the rule, because in such tough matches, the same thing always happens, and to me, it's ridiculous."
Alcaraz also explained that he feels like many of his colleagues on the ATP Tour feel the same about the shot clock. Tennis players often don't have enough time to properly prepare for the next rally, which understandably frustrates them.
"Yes, I think many players feel the same way. Some are faster, and others have slightly slower routines. I try to adapt as much as possible, and in many matches, I know I have to respect the time, so I change my routine: I call for fewer balls, I move faster, I bounce the ball less if I see I'm running out of time."
"But tennis is also about entertainment. The ATP says it wants to attract more people, to broaden its audience. If they don't allow us time to recover between points to offer the best possible level, everything goes too fast, and it's difficult to engage the crowd. I think the umpires should be more flexible or, better yet, add a few more seconds to the clock. With a little more leeway, we can prepare better to put on a show on every point."
Alcaraz will be glad that this incident didn't ultimately cost him the match. He will play against Andrey Rublev in the semi-finals of the competition in Doha. If he makes the final, his opponent will be the winner of the match between Jakub Mensik and Arthur Fils.
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