Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships—Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tsitsipas Captures 2025 Dubai Open Over Auger-Aliassime
Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas won his first-ever ATP Tour 500 level event at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Saturday, defeating inform Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-3.
Needing one hour and 29 minutes to advance, Tsitsipas struck four aces, won 83 percent of his first serve points, and broke serve on three occasions.
Improving to 7-3 against Auger-Aliassime in lifetime meetings, Tsitsipas also captured his 12th career title and first since winning the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters last year.
Tsitsipas changed to a Babolat Pure Aero 98 this week to win the title in Dubai. He had practiced with Carlos Alcaraz last fall and fell in love with the racquet and decided to use it this week.
The secret to Tsitsipas’s success this week in Dubai?
He hit with Alcaraz last fall and loved his Babolat Pure Aero 98. So he decided to buy some and try it this week. Blacked out with RPM Team string.
Interesting move that has worked.
— Tennis Connected (@TennisConnected) March 1, 2025
The 26-year-old will move up to No. 9 in the rankings on Monday.
Auger-Aliassime, who dropped to 16-5 on the season, owns two titles in 2025 one final. The 24-year-old will be ranked No. 18 in the world on Monday.
The Tours will now shift their focus to the sunshine of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California for the next two weeks.
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Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC Final
Saturday’s final in Acapulco, Mexico will feature Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina taking on No. 8 seed Tomas MacHac.
Davidovich Fokina defeated inform Canadian and No. 9 seed Denis Shapovalov on Saturday, and MacHac ousted American Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 1-6, 6-4.
Aiming to win the biggest title in both of their careers, MacHac leads Davidovich Fokina 1-0 in lifetime meetings.
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Movistar Chile Open Semifinals
Semifinal action in Santiago, Chile on Saturday will feature defending champion and No. 3 seed Sebastian Baez taking on Camilo Ugo Carabelli, and top seed Francisco Cerundolo facing Laslo Djere.
Baez, who defended his title in Rio de Janeiro last week, is on a seven match winning streak.
No. 1 seed Cerundolo, who has one of the biggest forehands in the game, will be vying for his fourth career title this week.
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ATX Open—Austin, Texas, United States
Top seeded American Jessica Pegula will be adamant on a strong performance this week in Austin, Texas when she faces Ajla Tomljanovic in the semifinals of the ATX Open.
Pegula, who owns six career titles, is currently ranked No. 4 in the world.
The day’s other semifinal will feature No. 5 seed McCartney Kessler facing Greet Minnen from Germany.
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Merida Open Akron—Merida, Mexico
American and top seed Emma Navarro will be in action on Saturday at the Mrrida Open Akron in Merdia, Mexico, taking on Armenian Elina Avanesyan.
Navarro, who has one singles title in her career, currently stands at No. 10 in the world. Avanesyan is still in search of her first career title and is currently ranked No. 45 on the WTA. Navarro leads the pair’s head-to-head 1-0.
The day’s other semifinal will feature Daria Saville taking on Emiliana Arango from Colombia. Saville advanced when No. 2 seed Paula Badosa withdrew with a back injury in the second set of their quarterfinal encounter, and Arango defeated Rebecca Sramkova 5-7, 6-3, 6-0.
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