Alcaraz claims fourth title of 2026 with straight-sets win in Vienna

Carlos Alcaraz won his fourth title of the year on Sunday by beating Alex de Minaur 6-1, 6-4 in the Vienna Open final. The victory marks the Spaniard's 28th career title and extends his winning streak against the Australian to seven consecutive matches.

Alcaraz, the second seed, has now beaten De Minaur on grass, clay, and both indoor and outdoor hard courts. The final point of the match involved a sequence of shots that demonstrated the Spaniard's control. He used a sliced backhand drop shot to pull De Minaur to the net, followed by a backhand lob. De Minaur volleys the return near the net, and Alcaraz finished the point with a cross-court forehand that landed just inside the line.

The win caps a season in which Alcaraz claimed the Australian Open, completing his career Grand Slam. He has been dealing with injury and fatigue throughout the year but appears to be returning to full fitness. De Minaur, the fifth seed, sought his second title of the year but fell short in the final.

In the semifinals, De Minaur defeated Alexander Zverev, a result that places the German at the top of the ATP rankings on Monday. Alcaraz advanced to the final after beating Daniil Medvedev. Following the match, Alcaraz discussed his tactical approach against the Australian.

"I tried to be aggressive and show him that if he wants to win, he has to play better, more aggressive, more solid, and be smarter than me," Alcaraz said. "I’m just really happy that at the end I found my way, played great. Obviously, it has been a really emotional and amazing week for me."