- In a first-round battle of previous winners, last year's champ Stefanos Tsitsipas loses in straight sets to 2024 title winner Ugo Humbert on Centre Court
- Andrey Rublev, winner in 2022, faces Humbert in Wednesday last-16 after overcoming Frenchman Valentin Royer 6-3, 6-4 under the lights
Dubai, UAE – 25 February 2026: Defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas crashed out of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Tuesday night, falling in the first round to 2024 title-winner Ugo Humbert under the bright lights of Centre Court. The 4-6, 5-7 defeat at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium means the 27-year-old Greek will drop outside the World's top 40 for the first time in almost eight years. Tsitsipas left the court with head bowed.
As soon as the Main Draw was made on Saturday for this week's ATP 500 tournament, the first-round meeting of two unseeded Dubai champions caught the eye. Only seven world ranking places separated the pair and the lower-ranked Humbert – World No37 – edged the pre-match head-to-head record at 3-1, so he was always going to represent a tricky opening match for Tsitsipas, who has yet to go deeper than the quarterfinals across five events since the start of the year
“It was a funny first round – the two last winners of the tournament,” said Humbert, who beat Alexander Bublik in the final here two years ago. “It's so good to be back where I won the tournament. I have such good memories, and it was a tough battle tonight.”
From the first exchanges, both players dominated their service games with remarkable ease. Tsitsipas only conceded two points in his opening four service games, while Humbert was forced to deuce in only one game. Yet as the scoreline undramatically progressed to 5-4 to Humbert, and with Tsitsipas' majestic topspin backhand starting to purr, the Greek's serve deserted him just when he needed it most.
Less than 24 hours after he had enjoyed a Ramadan cultural experience that saw him don a dark blue kandura to eat the fast-breaking Iftar meal, Tsitsipas demonstrated the season's spirit of generosity by gifting Humbert a pair of double-faults, an unforced error, and ultimately the opening set.
The second set followed a similar pattern as Tsitsipas proved unable to positively change the course of the match. Humbert conceded two break points in the first game yet found the resolve to dig deep and hold. From there, the set stayed on serve for 11 consecutive games until, with Humbert 6-5 up and Tsitsipas serving to stay in the tournament, another two wasteful forehands by the three-time Dubai finalist handed Humbert two match-points.
The Frenchman sealed the match at the first opportunity as Tsitsipas' third unforced forehand error in sequential points sealed his fate to send him home early.
“I think today, it was a big battle,” added Humbert. “We both served very well, and I had just a few opportunities and I did it, so I'm super happy. It's nice to come back to play again on this beautiful court. I have such a nice feeling when I play here and it's nice to be in second round.”
Next up for Humbert is another former champion in the form of Andrey Rublev, the 2022 title-winner who eased past France's Valentin Royer 6-3, 6-4. The energetic Moscovite shuttled around Centre Court like a man incapable of letting a ball get past him, with more than one return seeming impossible only for the 28-year-old to safely send it back from whence it came.
Royer has saved eight second-set break points by the time he had levelled the set at 2-2, but Rublev's serving at times was unplayable. His shot selection must also have left his opponent bewildered is he mixed impudent drop shots with returnable volleys at the net.
“It was a great win for me because I knew very well in our first meeting, I lost,” said Rublev. “[Royer's] a great fighter, and I'm really happy that I was able to take that challenge and go through in straight sets. When you play so late, to have some time to recover before the next match is so important.”
On facing Humbert, Rublev added: “It's going to be great for me to see my level because Ugo is a great player. He's hitting the ball really hard; he's getting better and better, and always fights until the end, playing super aggressive and hitting bombas from all over the place. He's won here in the past too, so it's going to be an interesting fight.”
Earlier in the day on New Court 1, eighth seed Jiri Lehecka survived losing the first set to Lucky Loser Luca Nardi – a late injury replacement for France's Arthur Fils – by recovering to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. The Czech World No22 will face Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta on Wednesday after the qualifier disposed of Canada's Denis Shapovalov 6-2, 6-4.
In the final game on New Court 1, sixth seed Jakub Mensik edged past Hubert Hurkacz of Poland 6-4, 7-6 (7). Mensik will face Australia's Alexei Popyrin, the World No47, who narrowly edged out Poland's Kamil Majchrzak 3-6, 6-3, 7-6. Meanwhile on Court 2, the Netherlands' World No25 Tallon Griekspoor – the highest-ranked player not seeded in Dubai this week – defeated Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen 6-3, 6-4 to set-up a mouthwatering second round match against second seed Alexander Bublik.
Elsewhere, Arthur Rinderknech also lost the first set enroute to defeating Hungary's Fabian Marozsan 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. The imposing Frenchman will play British fourth seed Jack Draper in the next round. The USA's Jenson Brooksby, the World No49, dispatched Belgium's Zizou Bergs 6-3, 6-4 to seal a last-16 tie against seventh seed Karen Khachanov, who required three lets to eliminate Lucky Loser Alexander Shevchenko of Kazakhstan 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-3.
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free and held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Running until Saturday, a variety of tickets remain available with prices starting from Dh65.
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