Stefanos Tsitsipas secured his first title in nearly a year, defeating Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-3 in the Dubai final, breaking a streak of losses in ATP 500 finals. Tsitsipas noted it was a “pure fighting” victory, as this win ended his 11-match final losing streak at this level, including two prior defeats in Dubai. The unseeded Auger-Aliassime started strong in 2023, but Tsitsipas dominated, not losing his serve and breaking Auger-Aliassime twice per set. Following the victory, Tsitsipas, who ranked 11th, is set to move back into the top 10 in ATP rankings.
Stefanos Tsitsipas clinched his first title in nearly a year and overcame a finals jinx, defeating Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-3 in the Dubai final on Saturday. “There was nothing that guaranteed the win today, it was simply about pure fighting,” Tsitsipas remarked after his victory, which took just one hour and 28 minutes. This win put an end to a losing streak for the Greek player in ATP 500-level finals. He has previously triumphed at the season-ending ATP Finals and at the top-tier 1000 events, but had lost all of his prior 11 finals in 500 tournaments.
Among those defeats were two in Dubai — against Roger Federer in 2019 and Novak Djokovic in 2020.
“It’s a huge relief to finally hold that trophy after my third attempt,” said the fourth-seeded Tsitsipas on court.
“It’s something that has been lingering in my mind, and I’m thrilled to say that I’ve achieved it.”
Auger-Aliassime, an unseeded Canadian player, started the season strongly, securing victories in Adelaide in January and Montpellier in February.
“I had a formidable opponent across the net, and I recognized it would be a tough challenge,” Tsitsipas stated. “I’m proud of how I managed the pressure and performed during those key moments.”
Tsitsipas showcased dominance from the baseline, not facing any service breaks despite encountering break points twice in each set. In the first set, he broke the Canadian in the seventh and ninth games, while in the second set, he secured the crucial break in the eighth game.
Ranked No.3 in the world earlier in 2023, Tsitsipas has fallen to 11th but will rise to ninth when the updated ATP rankings are announced on Monday.
“These are the achievements we strive for as professional tennis players,” Tsitsipas commented.
“Holding a position in the top 10 is undoubtedly one of the greatest feelings a tennis player can experience. It requires hard work and sacrifices, but I’m excited to be in a position where I can truly celebrate.”
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