Vienna Open R1: [2] Alcaraz def. Khachanov, 6-4 7-6(5)
posted by u/pizzainmyshoe · 2026-10-27 16:40 UTC
(No body, title and link only)
## Top comments
1. u/InvisibleSoul8 · 2026-10-27 16:40 UTC
Nobody, and I mean NOBODY else is making that shot down 5-4 in the tiebreak other than Alcaraz.
2. u/Strivingformoretoday · 2026-10-27 16:45 UTC
Such an exciting player! We are seriously so blessed to have him and hopefully he will play for a long time 😊
3. u/billinbah · 2026-10-27 16:40 UTC
2nd consecutive match that Khachanov has played out of his skin but still doesn’t get the W 😭
4. u/Dependent-Effect6077 · 2026-10-27 16:41 UTC
It's funny how much Alcaraz's style makes his opponents look optically better not just him lol Khachanov is a good player but in general he's the definition of cookie cutter and zero variety
He institutes a dynamic that basically makes it impossible for his opponents to make neutral UEs because he ends points before the possibility even comes up
Basically it's the inverse of why everyone looks like a bad player against Sinner or peak Djokovic
5. u/PattyRanger · 2026-10-27 16:40 UTC
Maybe going a bit under the radar but Carlos' movement today has been absolutely incredible, especially in defence.
Along with the fact that he's gradually figured out how to tackle Karen's serve as the first set went on. He's learning well from Shanghai. Serve is getting there slowly as well. His FH was a class of its own today
A brilliant match from both, with some incredible exhibition points with it!
6. u/Dependent-Effect6077 · 2026-10-27 16:40 UTC
Yup Alcaraz's serve and ballstriking are still not at their best but his athleticism is at full level
He kept missing winner attempts to keep the match close but his defense stepped up on big points
7. u/Pretty-Heat-7310 · 2026-10-27 16:42 UTC
It will take time for the serve to get back to his best hopefully by January
8. u/EvidenceTight3287 · 2026-10-27 16:40 UTC
Man some of the shots he makes are so ridiculous. Like every match there will be 3-4 moments when he makes you get up from your seat. What a player.
9. u/Dependent-Effect6077 · 2026-10-27 16:43 UTC
Alcaraz is unique because he's by far the highest risk/reward aggression player of his level ever
Casual fans think Federer played like this but he didn't until he was old and past his prime if you actually watch matches from his peak he was far from this wild with his shot selection
10. u/Minute_Meet6027 · 2026-10-27 16:49 UTC
Even Carlos himself wasn’t always this aggressive. 2025 USO is probably his highest level ever and he was much more disciplined than he is now.
11. u/Dependent-Effect6077 · 2026-10-27 16:51 UTC
Yup I think that was his best because the errors basically disappeared in those 2 weeks he was still hitting just as many winners but not giving away many points at all
I think his serving played a big role in that 2025 USO is by about 100 miles the best serving tournament of Alcaraz's career and that gave him more leeway heading into rallies
12. u/nooncrawler · 2026-10-27 16:40 UTC
Alcaraz now 10-0 in opening round matches this year. Perhaps this could be the year he finally goes a full season undefeated in openers. The closest he came to was in 2023. He went 15-0 and then lost his opening round match at the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals.
13. u/CentreCourtWarrior · 2026-10-27 16:45 UTC
Bloody Safiullin
14. u/Due_Communication862 · 2026-10-27 16:40 UTC
One of the weirdest tiebreaks in quite a while.
The shot at 4-5 was one of greatest of the year.
15. u/julsyx · 2026-10-27 16:40 UTC
craziest match i’ve ever seen, even if it was a straight sets win
16. u/Dependent-Effect6077 · 2026-10-27 16:45 UTC
That tiebreak was one of the funniest things I've seen
Every point alternated between an incredible Alcaraz winner and a horrible Alcaraz UE it's barely exaggerating to say that they were all among either his best or worst points of the whole match
17. u/skillet06g · 2026-10-27 16:53 UTC
That TB was just Carlos playing against himself. Karen can’t even do anything.
18. u/saintlyknighted · 2026-10-27 16:40 UTC
Copied from the daily thread for the last four games:
Carlos: "What is a ceiling? What is a floor, even?"
19. u/Funinternational1591 · 2026-10-27 16:41 UTC
Atp this is my second favorite match up after sincaraz😭what a crazy match it was even in straight sets
20. u/pizzainmyshoe · 2026-10-27 16:42 UTC
The 6 kings exhibition got postponed so Alcaraz decided to play a load of exhibition style points anyway.