Stefanos Tsitsipas finally broke through at the Dubai Tennis Championships, claiming his first ATP 500 title with a commanding 6-3, 6-3 victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final. The 26-year-old Greek had previously come close to lifting the trophy, reaching the final twice—falling to Novak Djokovic in 2019 and Roger Federer in 2020—but this time, he left no room for disappointment.
In a dominant display, Tsitsipas overpowered his in-form Canadian opponent in just one hour and 28 minutes, adding a 12th tour-level title to his collection. The win also marks his biggest outdoor hard-court triumph, cementing his resurgence as he returns to the top 10 of the ATP rankings for the first time since May 2024.
"It's a big relief that I'm able to hold that trophy after the third attempt," Tsitsipas admitted after the match. "It's something that I had in the back of my mind, and I'm happy to say I accomplished it."
For Auger-Aliassime, the defeat comes despite an impressive run in 2024, where he leads the ATP Tour with 16 match wins and two titles. The 24-year-old Canadian has been one of the most consistent players this season, but Tsitsipas proved too strong on the night.
Beyond the singles final, the Dubai tournament saw Britain’s Henry Patten and Finland’s Harri Heliovaara endure heartbreak in the men’s doubles final. The top-ranked pair held four championship points but ultimately fell 3-6, 7-6 (12-10), 10-8 to India’s Yuki Bhambri and Australia’s Alexei Popyrin, a newly formed duo making their first appearance together.
Meanwhile, in Acapulco, Czech player Tomas Machac secured his maiden ATP title, winning the Mexican Open with a 7-6(6), 6-2 victory over Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The world No. 25, who recently won mixed doubles gold at the Paris Olympics, becomes only the third Czech player to capture an ATP 500 title, joining Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek.
Davidovich Fokina continues to struggle in finals, now suffering his third runner-up finish on tour, following his loss at Delray Beach last month.
As the ATP season progresses, Tsitsipas’ victory in Dubai marks a potential turning point, reaffirming his place among the world’s elite as he sets his sights on more success in 2025.
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