Tennis News

Cobolli beats Tiafoe for Acapulco crown, joins Alcaraz & Sinner in this feat…

Flavio Cobolli captured his first hard-court ATP Tour title and third overall Saturday at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC. Seeded fifth in Acapulco, the Italian produced a high level to down Frances Tiafoe 7-6(4), 6-4 in the championship match.

Cobolli pummelled his forehand with pinpoint accuracy and displayed his shotmaking ability throughout the clash. Thanks to his title run, Cobolli will rise to a career-high No. 15 in Monday’s PIF ATP Rankings.

“When I was a kid, I was dreaming for this moment,” said Cobolli. “For this kind of tournament, playing on the center court with people cheering for me. I’m very proud, not only for me, but also for the people that work for me — my dad, my family, the rest of my team. They will help me a lot.”

The 23-year-old is the fourth man born in the 2000s to win ATP 500 titles on multiple surfaces, joining Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Arthur Fils. 

Despite entering the final winless against Tiafoe in their previous two Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings, Cobolli showed no signs of hesitation. Shortly after letting slip a set point on return at 5-4 in the opener, he trailed 1/3 in the tie-break, but won six of the final seven points to gain a one-set advantage.

Tiafoe did not earn a break chance until the eighth game of the second set, converting his third opportunity to that game to level the score at 4-4. It offered a glimpse of hope for Tiafoe, who earned multiple wins in dramatic fashion this week, saving two match points to beat in Aleksandar Kovacevic in the second round. Tiafoe also needed a heroic effort in the semi-finals to overcome Brandon Nakashima, who served for a straight-sets win before the eighth seed launched his comeback.

Such theatrics were not to be in the final. Cobolli held his nerve after dropping serve, earning a break back and successfully serving out the match after two hours and nine minutes.

“I think I deserve it for how I work outside the court,” Cobolli said. “After the losses, I work again on court and I just want to say that I’m very proud of myself. It was a great match today, I think it was the best of the tournament for me. I never won against [Frances] before today, so I’m very happy.”

Last year, Cobolli won the ATP 250 event in Bucharest and the ATP 500 tournament in Hamburg. He is the youngest Acapulco champion since a 22-year-old Dominic Thiem in 2016.

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How can you watch the Indian Wells draw?

The draw for the 2026 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells will take place on Monday, 2 March at 3 p.m. PST (6 p.m. EST/11 p.m. GMT). The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings Carlos Alcaraz, No. 2 Jannik Sinner and joint-record five-time champion Novak Djokovic will headline a star-studded field at the opening ATP Masters 1000 event of the season, where main-draw play takes place from 4–15 March.

Their rivals chasing success in the California desert include World No. 3 Alexander Zverev, home favourites Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton, and defending champion Jack Draper.

Fans in the United States can watch the draw on Tennis Channel 2 and the Tennis Channel App. ATP Tour channels will have all you need to know about the draw shortly after it is complete.

Alcaraz will enter Indian Wells aiming to maintain his perfect record in 2026. The 22-year-old Spaniard is 12-0 for the season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, after lifting trophies at the Australian Open and the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha. Alcaraz is a two-time titlist in Indian Wells, where he triumphed in 2023 and 2024.

His great rival Sinner is chasing his maiden Indian Wells trophy. His best runs at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden came in 2023 and 2024: On both occasions, Sinner fell to eventual champion Alcaraz in the semi-finals, and he arrives in ‘Tennis Paradise’ this year trailing the Spaniard 6-10 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

Meanwhile Djokovic will aim to bounce back quickly from his Australian Open final defeat to Alcaraz with a strong showing in Indian Wells. The 38-year-old is looking for a sixth BNP Paribas Open crown to move clear of Roger Federer for the most men’s singles titles won in the California desert. 

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Zverev/Melo capture Acapulco crown

Alexander Zverev and Marcelo Melo completed a dream run Saturday when they claimed their first title together at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC.

The German and Brazilian, who first teamed in 2017, defeated Alexander Erler and Robert Galloway 6-3, 6-4 in the championship match to clinch the trophy at the ATP 500 event in Acapulco. The pair won 72 per cent (28/39) of its first-serve points and saved two of the three break points it faced, en route to a dominant 69-minute win.

“Marcelo has been my best friend for over 10 years now, and we finally won a tournament,” Zverev said. ” We have been in a couple of finals and we finally did it. So it’s special.”

Zverev and Melo compete together regularly and also reached the final at the 2024 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. They now hold a 20-25 record as a team, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

With the victory, Melo captured his 42nd tour-level doubles title, tying Mate Pavic for the most trophies won among active players and extended his winning streak to eight matches after capturing the ATP 500 title in Rio de Janeiro last week alongside Joao Fonseca.

“Thanks to Sascha’s family, it’s amazing,” said Melo. “We have known each other for almost 10 years now, they’re always together, supporting. Sascha, thank you to you as well.”

Zverev, currently No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings, lost to Miomir Kecmanovic in the second round of singles but returned to the court three days later to win his first doubles crown since 2019 when he partnered with his brother Mischa Zverev to clinch the title in Acapulco.

Luz/Matos triumph in Santiago

Rafael Matos and Orlando Luz capped another dominant week this season Saturday when they defeated Ariel Behar and Matthew Romios 6-3, 6-4 to clinch the trophy at the BCI Seguros Chile Open.

With the victory, the Brazilians, who also won the Buenos Aires crown two weeks ago, joined Harri Heliovaara/Henry Patten and Theo Arribage/Albano Olivetti as the only teams to have won at least two titles in 2026.

“It’s amazing,” said Luz. “It’s my first title in South America. It feels very special to be playing with a friend. To be playing with somebody that I consider family. It’s really nice. It’s even more special.”

Competing in their third tour-level final together, the second-seeded Brazilians saved all three break points they faced and won 76 per cent of their first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, en route to an 80-minute triumph.

With two trophies and runs to the Brisbane and Australian Open quarter-finals, Luz and Matos hold a 15-4 record this year, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index and have climbed to No. 8 in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings.

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Hanfmann reaches first ATP final in six years in Santiago

Yannick Hanfmann is into his first ATP Tour final in six years and now stands one win away from his maiden title.

The German advanced to the championship match at the BCI Seguros Chile Open Saturday, when he upset top seed Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 6-4 in the semi-finals. Prior to this week, Hanfmann had not reached a final since September 2020, when he lost to Miomir Kecmanovic in Kitzbuhel.

“I think from the first point to the last, I played such a good match,” said Hanfmann. “I have to [do that] against him. He’s a great player and I knew that I had to bring my ‘A game’ today. I’m really, really happy.”

Cerundolo claimed the Buenos Aires crown two weeks ago and did not drop a set en route to the semi-finals in Santiago. However, he was unable to cope with the German, who struck cleanly and dominated the clash behind his serve.

Hanfmann won 79 per cent (27/34) of his first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, and capitalised on Cerundolo’s 27 unforced errors. He also fended off both break points he faced, including a crucial save at 5-4 in the second set while serving for the match.

“It is normal to have some nerves to get into a final,” the German said. “But ultimately, I believed, and even on the break point, I believed in my shots and in my ability to stay in the rally.”

The 34-year-old will try to capture his first ATP Tour title when he faces second seed Luciano Darderi in Sunday’s title tilt.

In the second semi-final of the day, Darderi delivered a commanding performance to defeat 2024 champion Sebastian Baez 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 29 minutes. The Italian has now claimed all three of the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings in 2026.

“Sebastian is a tough opponent,” Darderi said. “We have already played three times this year. He’s an amazing player on clay. He has won more than six or seven titles. So it’s always a tough match against him.”

Darderi, who reached the championship match in Buenos Aires, will compete in his second final of the season and his sixth overall on Sunday. The Italian leads Hanfmann 1-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. Their sole meeting came in the quarter-finals of the ATP 250 event in Cordoba where Darderi won in straight sets.

Watch extended highlights from Saturday’s semi-final clash in Santiago:

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Medvedev wins Dubai title as Griekspoor withdraws

Daniil Medvedev says it it “not how I wanted to win” the Dubai Tennis Championships title after Tallon Griekspoor withdraws because of injury.

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Alcaraz set to defend Tokyo title in 2026

Carlos Alcaraz will be back to defend his title at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo in 2026, the tournament has confirmed.

The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings triumphed on his debut at the ATP 500 event last year, when he dropped just one set en route to the title and defeated Taylor Fritz in the final. It was one of a Tour-leading eight trophies Alcaraz won in 2025.

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The 22-year-old Alcaraz has begun his 2026 season in emphatic fashion, winning consecutive titles at the Australian Open and at the ATP 500 in Doha. With his first title in Melbourne, the Spaniard became the youngest man to complete the Career Grand Slam.

With his win in Tokyo last year, Alcaraz joined fellow ATP No. 1 Club members Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic as winners of the ATP 500 event.

Alcaraz owns a 12-0 record in 2026, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, and is more than 3,000 points clear of rival and World No. 2 Jannik Sinner atop the PIF ATP Rankings.

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Heliovaara & Patten win third title of 2026 in Dubai: 'It's a dream start to the year'

Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten reinforced their dominance in the Middle East on Saturday at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, where they captured the title.

The third seeds defeated Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic 7-5, 7-5 in the ATP 500 final, stretching their winning streak to seven matches following last week’s triumph in Doha. Last year, Heliovaara and Patten squandered four match points in the Dubai final to Yuki Bhambri and Alexei Popyrin, but made up for it with a clinical display in their 2026 redemption bid.

Having also lifted the trophy in Adelaide in January, Heliovaara and Patten now own three titles in 2026 and have climbed to No. 2 in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings. Arevalo and Pavic, who were contesting their first final of the season, jumped three places to No. 6.

“As always in doubles, the margins are so fine,” Patten said. “There’s no room to get complacent. You go on highs and then very quickly, you [can] find yourself in a low. We’ll try to ride this one and extend it for as long as possible.”

Heliovaara and Patten closed the 2025 campaign in style with maiden titles at the ATP Masters 1000 in Paris and the prestigious Nitto ATP Finals. Carrying that momentum into 2026, they have now won 21 of their past 23 matches, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

“It’s a dream start to the year,” Heliovaara said. “It’s very nice to play with this guy, Henry. We’re great friends off court and everything seems to work well on the court, so I want to thank him and obviously our opponents, Marcelo and Mate. They were World No. 1s last year and they can play some really good tennis.”

They became the second team to secure three tour-level trophies this year, joining Theo Arribage and Albano Olivetti, champions in Auckland, Montpellier and Dallas.

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Medvedev claims Dubai title after Griekspoor withdraws

Daniil Medvedev claimed the title at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Saturday after Tallon Griekspoor withdrew ahead of their final due to a left hamstring injury.

Griekspoor sustained the injury during his semi-final victory over Andrey Rublev on Friday. He landed awkwardly after a serve and, although he went on to complete a straight-sets win, he was unable to recover in time for the championship match, resulting in a walkover.

“I have been better, that’s for sure,” Griekspoor said during the trophy ceremony. “Unfortunately, I hurt myself during the semi-finals. I went to the hospital this morning and had a couple of scans, which showed something serious. It kept me from coming on court tonight and will keep me from the court in the coming weeks.”

The title is Medvedev’s 23rd tour-level crown and second of the 2026 season after winning in Brisbane in January. It is also the first time the 30-year-old has won the same event twice, having previously triumphed in Dubai in 2023.

At No. 11 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, Medvedev is just 45 points behind No. 10 Alexander Bublik as he bids to return to the Top 10 for the first time since June last year.

“That’s what is crazy about it,” Medvedev said when asked about winning the same event twice for the first time. “I never did it in any city in the world, and the first time I do it, it’s [via] a walkover… We knew before the start of the week, the way I was practising, I couldn’t miss a ball. We knew it was going to be a great week. It was a great week and I’m looking forward to the next tournaments to come.”

With his 21st tour-level trophy on hard courts, Medvedev tied World No. 2 Jannik Sinner for the second-most on the surface among active players, behind Novak Djokovic (72).

Most hard-court titles (active players)

Griekspoor was seeking the fourth and biggest ATP Tour title of his career in Dubai, where he recorded wins over Top 20 players Bublik, Jakub Mensik and Rublev this week. The Dutchman’s only prior Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with Medvedev came in Dubai last year, when he memorably saved four match points en route to the semi-finals.

Medvedev will next compete at the ATP Masters 1000 in Indian Wells, where he is a two-time finalist. He owns a 13-3 record in 2026, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

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Paolini ends Boulter's winning run at Merida Open

British number three Katie Boulter fails to build on a brilliant start against Jasmine Paolini in the Merida Open quarter-finals.

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Monfils, #NextGenATP star Jodar headline Indian Wells wild cards

Gael Monfils and #NextGenATP star Rafael Jodar are among the players who received wild cards into the BNP Paribas Open, the tournament announced Friday.

Monfils, who is playing his final ATP Tour season, holds a 22-15 tournament record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. The 39-year-old made his Indian Wells debut in 2005 and reached the quarter-finals in 2016 and 2019. This will be the 17th time the Frenchman competes in Indian Wells. Last year, he lost in three sets in the third round to Grigor Dimitrov.

Jodar is set to feature in the main draw at an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time in Indian Wells. In the past six months, the 19-year-old has won three ATP Challenger titles, which helped him qualify for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF. He has also earned three tour-level wins this year, including an upset win over Cameron Norrie in the first round at the ATP 500 event in Acapulco.

Americans Michael Zheng, Martin Damm and Zachary Svajda each also received a wild card into the main draw. Zheng will compete in the main draw of an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time. The 22-year-old, who posted a 24-7 record and won three titles at the ATP Challenger level in 2025, played in his maiden major main draw at this year’s Australian Open, where he shocked Sebastian Korda in the opening round.

Damm recently enjoyed a dream run at the ATP 250 event in Montpellier, where he upset Hubert Hurkacz and Roberto Bautista Agut en route to advancing to his first tour-level semi-final. California-native Svajda recently won the trophy at the ATP Challenger event in San Diego, where he defeated Korda in the final.

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