By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Photo credit: ABN AMRO Open Facebook
Two champions faced off in Dubai today and one hit the timely targets.
Firing menacing forehands, former champion Ugo Humbert dethroned defending Dubai champion Stefanos Tsitsipas, 6-4, 7-5, to charge into the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
On the quick Dubai court, Humbert used his slider serve wide on the ad side to set up imposing first strikes and beat the former French Open finalist for the fourth time in five meetings.
“I cannot complain [about surface speed] because we don’t have many fast courts now and I think it’s nice to have these kind of conditions,” Humbert said. “I really enjoy it.
“Yes, it’s fast but it’s nice to have this kind of conditions…
“It was a funny match because we were the two last champions in Dubai. I have a good feeling. I know the people, they are super nice, so it’s nice to feel these feelings.”
The 2024 champion Humbert will face either former champion Andrey Rublev or compatriot Valentin Royer in round two.
Today, Humbert served 75 percent, won 11 of 16 second-serve points and erased all three break points he faced. Tsitsipas also served with authority, winning 31 of 36 first-serve points, however the explosive Greek imploded on his final service games of both sets.
“I think it was a bit better from the top,” Humbert said. “We served very well from the beginning to the end. I was a bit lucky at 5-4. When I had the opportunities, I took it. I’m happy about this win because it’s a big player and we know he can play well here.”
Both men were nearly untouchable on serve for much of the opening set.
Curling his lefty slider serve wide on the ad side, Humbert repeatedly torched the Tsitsipas backhand return.
Tsitsipas held at love to level after eight games. Humbert hammered an ace down the T that helped him answer with a love hold for 5-4.
Then, the defending champion blinked. Tsitsipas spit up successive double faults to face double set point. Tsitsipas, who had permitted only two service points to that point, kissed a forehand volley off the tape to save the first set point.
On the second set point, Humbert drove his two-handed deep in the court drawing a flying forehand long to end the 33-minute opening set.
Though Tsitsipas was a perfect 14 for 14 on first serve in the set, Humbert used scoreboard pressure, those two untimely double faults and a deep return to carve out the lone break of the set.
After both men left the court for a bathroom break, Humbert returned to tame trouble, saving two break points and torching an ace down the T holding to start the second set.
The French left-hander charged through a love hold for 4-3.
In the ensuing game, Tsitsipas sailed a backhand to fall behind 15-30. Pounding on a mid-court ball, Humbert spun a crosscourt forehand winner for double break point at 15-40. Tsitsipas brought out the surprise serve-and-volley winner to save the first break point and cranked a forehand to erase the second break point. Tsitsipas navigated that hard-fought hold with calm confidence for 4-all.
Leaning low, Humbert dug a running backhand strike crosscourt to cap his second love hold of the set for 6-5.
Reading the serve, Humbert fired a forehand winner down the line for 15-30. Two net cords in a row caused Tsitsipas to frame a forehand long and face double set point.
Pulling off his favored forehand, Tsitsipas sent it long as Humber sealed a 6-4, 7-5 victory in one hour, 25 minutes.