He called the problem before the semi-final match against Daniil Medvedev, which he won 6-4, 7-6 (2)After three or four games, he said, the ball becomes “really soft” and “it’s really hard to generate power on this ball.” Medvedev, the reporter told Alcaraz, said the conditions were perfect for him.
Alcaraz solved them from the inside. “It’s just about me and the things that I have to do, the things that I really want to do well on the court,” he said. “Prioritizing key goals in each game helped me perform at my best.”
Alcaraz rebuilt his service after Shanghai
The other change was technical. In the weeks he spent at home after the Shanghai Masters, Alcaraz rebuilt his serve. “I was very focused on serving. the directions, the speed, the first serve, more than I’ve done all year,” he said in Spanish. “I served very well this week with a high percentage. The scores on my first serve were very high and it gave me a lot of composure in a lot of important moments.”
De Minaur, who also lost to her in the 2025 Rotterdam final, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, saw a different Alcaraz this time. “I think it’s a lot harder to rush him,” the Australian said. “He’s able to absorb the pace really well in these conditions and still be able to redirect his shots. I thought he played at a much higher level than in Rotterdam.” Alcaraz now has a 7-0 lead against them.
He also described a week with almost no mental breakdowns. “There were very few moments of doubt, of mental weakness, of complaining,” he said. “I’ve always been positive in my head.”
A perfect ATP 500 season for Alcaraz
The title completes a perfect season at the ATP 500 level. Alcaraz is 16-0 at that level in 2026, with titles in Doha, Tokyo and now Vienna, and hasn’t lost an ATP 500 match since the 2025 Barcelona final against Holger Rohn. Vienna is his fourth title of 2026, after the Australian Open, Doha and Tokyo, and the 28th of his career.
It also came after the season was cut in half. Alcaraz missed about four and a half months between April and August with a wrist injury that cost him Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
He made no promise to return, but left the door open. “A year can be a really long time,” he said. “Who knows what tournaments I will play in next year? But if I have to choose this week, Vienna is probably at the top of the list.”
Vienna 2026 final
- Carlos Alcaraz (2) d. Alex de Minaur (5) 6-1, 6-4
Alcaraz’s path to the title
- First stage: d. Karen Khachanov 6-4, 7-6 (5)
- Second stage: d. Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-1, 7-6 (11)
- Quarter finals: d. Tommy Paul (7) 6-4, 7-6 (2)
- Semi-final: d. Daniil Medvedev (3) 6-4, 7-6 (2)
- Final: d. Alex de Minaur (5) 6-1, 6-4
De Minaur’s path to the final
- First stage: d. Tomas Machak 1-6, 6-4, 6-3
- Second stage: d. Study Tien 6-4, 6-2
- Quarter finals: d. Matteo Berettini 7-6 (4), 6-2
- Semi-final: d. Alexander Zverev (1) 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4)