Alcaraz beats Cilic in windswept opening round match at ATP Qatar Open

Carlos Alcaraz dispatched Martin Cilic in the opening round of the Qatar Open on Monday, as he took a bit of time to find his rhythm on a windy night, but eventually overcame the Croatian veteran 6-4, 6-4.

Facing the 36-year-old Cilic, Alcaraz was stronger at the pivotal moments. The first set turned on an 18-minute seventh game that ended with Alcaraz converting a much-needed service break.

In the second set, the 21-year-old Alcaraz fell behind 40-0 on serve in the eighth game. He responded by taking 15 of the next 19 points to win the match in one hour, 38 minutes.

"I'm really pleased about saving that game," said Alcaraz in the post-match on-court interview. "Marin puts a lot of pressure when you're serving, he's a great returner. I'm really happy to stay calm in that moment, do my routine and make good shots. I'm really happy to win in two sets."

He will face China's Zhang Zhizhen or Italy's Luca Nardi in the second round.

The Spaniard then lingered on court to hit a few balls with a high-profile spectator – National Basketball Association star Jimmy Butler.

The 35-year-old guard, recently traded from the Miami Heat to the Golden State Warriors, opted not to stay in San Francisco while the city hosted Sunday's NBA All-Star Game. Instead he flew to the Gulf and was in the crowd to see Alcaraz beat Cilic.

Butler then made his way onto the court and both men donned microphones as they put on a short show for the fans. Butler even attempted to return an Alcaraz lob with a between-the-legs shot – but missed.

In other action, Jiri Lehecka beat seventh-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-4. The Czech claimed his 11th victory of the 2025 season, tied for the ATP Tour lead with Australia's Alex de Minaur and Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic.