Key Takeaways
- At least 64 people were reported dead after two high-speed trains collided near Urda in Spain’s Toledo province on Wednesday morning.
- Carlos Alcaraz sent a public message expressing his shock, condolences and support to the families affected by the tragedy.
- On the court in Vienna, Alcaraz opened his tournament with a straight-sets win over Karen Khachanov, pushing his ATP 500 match streak to 22 wins.
Spanish tennis star offers sympathy following tragedy in Toledo
Spanish world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz expressed profound sadness and sent thoughts to those impacted by a deadly rail collision in Toledo, Spain. The disaster occurred on Wednesday morning, October 28, near Urda, when a Renfe AVE train headed from Madrid to Seville collided with an Iryo service. Spanish authorities reported that at least 64 people were killed, with emergency personnel continuing search and rescue efforts amid fears the casualty count could increase.
Regional authorities in Castilla-La Mancha activated emergency protocols, sending police, medical teams and firefighters to the scene, while also requesting assistance from the Military Emergency Unit. The collision also disrupted train traffic connecting Madrid to the southern region of the country, while investigators worked to understand the circumstances behind the crash.
Condolences sent from the Vienna Open
While competing at the Vienna Open, Alcaraz shared a public statement on social media to show solidarity with grieving families across his home country. “My deepest condolences. Much strength to everyone,” the seven-time Grand Slam winner wrote on X, offering support to those facing the aftermath of the crash.
The 22-time tour-level champion noted his distress over the event, sending love to everyone impacted during a challenging time as emergency crews continued working at the site.
Progress on court in Austria
Prior to addressing the disaster, the tournament’s second seed began his campaign in Austria with a hard-fought first-round win over Karen Khachanov. Alcaraz secured a 6-4, 7-6(5) victory across two hours and four minutes of play.
The match grew tense in the second set when Alcaraz missed three match points while attempting to break at 5-4. Khachanov subsequently broke the Spaniard to take a 6-5 lead, but Alcaraz struck back with an immediate break of his own before overturning a 1-3 deficit in the tiebreak. The result extended his winning streak at ATP 500 events to 22 matches, an unbeaten run starting after his loss to Holger Rune in the Barcelona final in April.
Marking his first appearance in Vienna since reaching the semifinals as an 18-year-old in 2021, Alcaraz now awaits his second-round opponent, who will be either Georgian finalist Nikoloz Basilashvili or Austrian wildcard Jurij Rodionov.
ATP Vienna - Carlos Alcaraz's projected path
Alcaraz in Vienna, ranking, and results in 2026
Currently ranked no.3, Alcaraz has a composed 34-5 match record in 2026. The Spaniard is playing at the moment in Vienna where he defeated the world no.24 Karen Khachanov 6-4 7-6(5).
Carlos Alcaraz will come up against the world no.10 Alex De Minaur in the Round Robin on Unknown at 5:00 pm on Court 1. Their current record is 6-0 for Alcaraz.
Alcaraz clinched 3 titles in 2026 at the Australian Open, Doha and Tokyo.
The Spaniard won 28 titles in his career: 11 on hard courts, 11 on clay courts, 2 on indoor courts and 4 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
