World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz once again found himself at the center of a time violation controversy during his quarterfinal victory over Karen Khachanov on Thursday. The Spaniard appeared frustrated, leading to a tense exchange with chair umpire Marija Čičak. Reflecting on the episode afterward, Alcaraz addressed his on-court demeanor and offered his perspective on the heated moment
Carlos Alcaraz Makes His Stance Crystal Clear on Time Violation Controversy During Doha QF
The flashpoint came deep in a grueling opening set at 4-4, 40-40. After outlasting Khachanov in a punishing rally and finishing the point with a delicate drop shot at the net, Alcaraz hurried to his towel before preparing to serve. As he got ready for the next point, the chair umpire issued a time violation warning, a decision that visibly angered the Spaniard. According to Čičak, the seven-time Grand Slam champion had exceeded the 25-second time limit allotted to players to reset between points.
The Spaniard voiced his frustration, questioning the chair umpire over when exactly the clock had been stopped. A lengthy exchange followed, with the official repeatedly clarifying that the timer had been paused only until Alcaraz reached the area where he requested his towel. Shortly after, Khachanov also stepped in, appearing to ask the umpire to rescind the time violation.
Speaking at his post-match press conference, Alcaraz addressed the episode and openly criticized the time regulations, describing the rule as “absurd.”
“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,” he said.
Carlos Alcaraz spoke in press about his disagreement with the umpire regarding the time violation warning he received during his match against Khachanov
“Honestly, I think the time rule is absurd. After a very demanding point, finishing at the net, sprinting to my towel, I… pic.twitter.com/iDo5z4VWAX
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 20, 2026
The world No. 1 highlighted that the crowd kept shouting at the time, and that wasn’t even taken into account by the umpire. He then called for greater flexibility in enforcing time rules during intense, high-pressure matches.
“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,” he added.
There have been multiple instances in the past where Alcaraz has openly expressed frustration with the time-violation rule. He believes many players share his concerns, though he insists he is doing his best to adapt and manage within the current regulations.
“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,” he said.
ATP Tour wants to grow the sport’s audience, but Carlos Alcaraz argued that strict time limits hurt entertainment value. He argues players need slightly more recovery time to maintain quality and deliver more compelling tennis for the crowd.
“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,” he added.
“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,” he concluded.
Despite the incident, Alcaraz secured a 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-3 win over Khachanov to reach the semifinals of the ATP 500 event. He will next face Russia’s Andrey Rublev, and whoever prevails will face Jakub Mensik or Arthur Fils in the summit clash.
