Pegula beats Svitolina in Dubai for 10th WTA title
Jessica Pegula says she couldn’t have asked for a better start to 2026 after beating Elina Svitolina 6-2 6-4 to win the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Jessica Pegula says she couldn’t have asked for a better start to 2026 after beating Elina Svitolina 6-2 6-4 to win the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Jack Draper will return to ATP Tour action for the first time in seven months when he competes at this week’s Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
The Briton, who ended his 2025 season early due to injury before returning this month with a Davis Cup victory, is seeded fourth at the ATP 500 event. Draper, the former No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings and reigning Indian Wells champion, will begin his debut campaign in Dubai against a qualifier or lucky loser.
Top seed and last year’s finalist Felix Auger-Aliassime starts his title quest against Zhang Zhizhen, with their Lexus ATP Head2Head series level at 1-1. The Canadian is seeded to face Jiri Lehecka — who opens against resurgent Frenchman Arthur Fils — in the quarter-finals.
View the Dubai draw
Defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas meets 2024 winner Ugo Humbert in a compelling first-round showdown between two former Dubai titlists. Third seed Daniil Medvedev (2023), fifth seed Andrey Rublev (2022) and wild card Stan Wawrinka (2016) round out the group of past champions featured in the main draw.
Wawrinka, contesting the final season of his ATP Tour career, launches his Dubai run against fellow wild card Benjamin Hassan.
Felix Auger-Aliassime and Alexander Bublik lead the field as the top two seeds. Daniil Medvedev is seeded third, followed by Jack Draper in fourth and Andrey Rublev in fifth. Jakub Mensik, Karen Khachanov and Jiri Lehecka complete the top eight seeds.
Five former champions are competing this year: Stefanos Tsitsipas, Ugo Humbert, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and Stan Wawrinka.
Arthur Fils plays Jiri Lehecka, Stefanos Tsitsipas takes on Ugo Humbert, and Jakub Mensik faces Hubert Hurkacz.
Watch Extended Highlights of the 2025 Dubai Final:
A rising star met tennis royalty on Friday at the Rio Open presented by Claro, where Joao Fonseca shared a special moment with ATP No. 1 Club member Andre Agassi.
The 19-year-old Fonseca has rapidly emerged as one of the most exciting young players on the ATP Tour. Agassi, who spent 101 weeks at No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, represents the gold standard of excellence that the Brazilian is now chasing. Also part of the gathering was Marcelo Melo, Fonseca’s doubles partner this week at the ATP 500 event, with the pair riding a wave of home support into the semi-finals.
Fonseca spent time around Agassi at last year’s Laver Cup, where the American served as Team World Captain and Fonseca made his debut at the teams event. That week provided the teenager with a rare chance to learn from one of the game’s great competitors, soaking in advice and perspective from a player who thrived under the brightest lights.
“He was everyone’s idol,” Fonseca said of Agassi, smiling after Melo revealed that the American had been his own inspiration growing up.
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Fonseca’s title run at the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah, where he swept through the field to lift the trophy, cemented his status as one of the sport’s premier young talents. He then carried that momentum into 2025 with two tour-level trophies, reinforcing the belief that Brazil’s newest star is ready to contend on the biggest stages.
Agassi knows better than most what it takes to handle rising expectations. An eight-time major champion and one of the most recognisable figures of his era, the American built a career defined by resilience, reinvention and sustained excellence at the top of the sport.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Before his rapid rise to become the youngest No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings in September 2022, Carlos Alcaraz was World No. 406 when he made his ATP Tour debut at the Rio Open presented by Claro on 17 February 2020.
Six years ago this week, then 16, the Spaniard immediately showed a flair for the dramatics in his introduction — a characteristic that continues to define the superstar’s career. A wild card at the Brazilian ATP 500, Alcaraz claimed his first tour-level win at 3 a.m., after three hours and 37 minutes full of twists and turns against Albert Ramos-Vinolas on the Brazilian red clay.
From 0-3, 0/40 down in the deciding set, the Spaniard turned on the aggression to rattle off five games to move to the brink of victory. After showcasing his style, he then relied on grit to close out the match in a deciding tie-break, 7-6(2), 4-6, 7-6(2).
“I will remember Rio forever,” Alcaraz said. “I am very happy to win my first ATP Tour match. This has been the longest and most intense match I’ve played so far. There were quite difficult conditions, but if you have the right attitude, the conditions don’t matter. You can achieve anything.”
That same mindset helped Alcaraz rocket up the PIF ATP Rankings in the months and years that followed. He finished the 2020 season at No. 141, rose to No. 32 at the end of 2021 and finished as year-end No. 1 in 2022.
“I always have positive thoughts. I always think I can win, no matter who the opponent is,” the Spaniard said after beating then-World No. 41 Ramos-Vinolas. “If you don’t think you can win, you shouldn’t go on the court.”
[NO 1 CLUB]The victory made Alcaraz the youngest player to win an ATP 500 match in series history (since 2009), the youngest ATP Tour match-winner overall since Cristian Garin in 2013 (Vina del Mar) and the youngest Spaniard to win at tour-level since Rafael Nadal in 2002 (Mallorca). Alcaraz also became the youngest man to beat a Top-50 opponent since Richard Gasquet beat Feliciano Lopez in 2003 (Marseille).
Alcaraz had never before faced a Top-100 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, but he showed no fear in his tour-level debut. Flashing the power, variety and shot selection he would soon become famous for, the youngster appeared at ease on the big stage.
Building points around his forehand and setting up that stroke with heavy topspin backhands, Alcaraz led by a set and a break before Ramos-Vinolas won seven of eight games from 2-3 in the second set. But just when it looked like the physicality of the match was too much for the 16-year-old, Alcaraz turned the tide with a burst of his own.
Though he was broken at love in his attempt to serve out the match at 5-4, Alcaraz regrouped and dominated the deciding tie-break, dropping his racquet and bringing his hands to his face in celebration after sealing the result on his fourth match point.
[ATP APP]Alcaraz ultimately bowed out to Federico Coria in three sets in the Rio de Janeiro second round and did not play another tour-level match in 2020. But his win against Ramos-Vinolas, coupled with two ATP Challenger Tour titles later in the year, ensured the hype around the Spaniard continued to grow — with his game developing just as fast.
While his memorable debut win ended hours before dawn, it marked the beginning of a rise that would soon light up the ATP Tour. And this week, six years later, Alcaraz is the World No. 1 and set to compete in the final of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Ignacio Buse added another memorable moment to his 2026 Rio Open presented by Claro campaign on Friday.
One day after upsetting the third seed and home favourite Joao Fonseca, the Buse defeated the former No. 6 player in the PIF ATP Rankings Matteo Berrettini, earning a 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 triumph in a rain-impacted quarter-final clash at the clay-court ATP 500. With the victory, he advanced to the biggest semi-final of his career.
“Today it was really tough because we stopped, I think, four times because of the rain,” Buse said. “The conditions are sometimes fast, sometimes slow. You never know. But it was a difficult match, but I’m happy I managed it in a good way.”
At 5-2 in the third set, the Peruvian was on the verge of victory before the rain disrupted the match for the fourth time. Upon resuming play, he let slip two match points on Berrettini’s serve before eventually earning the win in two hours and 19 minutes.
In his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with the Italian, Buse saved four of the six break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats. The 21-year-old will face Thiago Agustin Tirante or Alejandro Tabilo for a place in the final.
In other quarter-final action, eighth seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry earned a milestone win. The 26-year-old overcame lucky loser Jaime Faria 7-6(4), 6-4 to notch his 100th tour-level victory. The Argentine crucially saved all five break points he faced in the first set.
“It was a tough tie-break,” Etcheverry said. “I played nicely in the end in the tie-break. And in the second set, I think I played better than the first one.”
In the semi-finals, Etcheverry will face Vit Kopriva, who eased to a 6-4, 6-4 victory against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, during which he did not face a break point. By defeating Cerundolo, Kopriva reached his second tour-level semi-final, five years after reaching his first on his ATP Tour debut in Gstaad in 2021.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]The Rio Open presented by Claro is going above and beyond to reduce its environmental impact on Tour.
Through the ATP 500 tournament’s environmental programme, Rio Open Green, the event achieved landmark results in 2025 and has continued to reduce emissions while also engaging in fan awareness.
Last season, the event neutralised 1,819 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e), with 69.2 per cent of waste recycled, reused or composted. The clay-court tournament has set an example as a United Nations-certified carbon-neutral event, having fully offset its emissions since 2020.
“The figures prove that it is possible to host a major sporting event with an increasingly lower environmental impact while simultaneously generating significant economic results for the city and the community,” said Marcia Casz, General Director of the Rio Open presented by Claro.
The Rio Open Green programme is centered around three pillars: Reducing emissions, fan awareness and waste management.
In partnership with ENGIE, the tournament calculates and offsets greenhouse gas emissions associated with both event operations and fan travel. All emissions are offset through UN-certified carbon credits generated from renewable energy production at the Jirau Hydroelectric Power Plant.
Credit: Fotojump/Rio Open
With around 40 per cent of fans travelling to the Rio Open from other states, there is an emphasis on helping fans understand their carbon footprint. An interactive carbon calculator is part of the ticket purchase process, enabling fans to specify their mode of transport, understand the impact of their travel and even opt for low-impact travel options like cycling or public transport.
In 2025, only 30.8 per cent of waste generated from the event was sent to landfill sites, thanks to Rio Green Project’s waste management strategy. A number of initiatives have been put in place, with a focus on reusing and recycling, reducing single-use plastics and supporting responsible disposal.
The Rio Open presented by Claro is a prime example of tournaments, players and partners uniting through ATP Serves. As a global sport spanning more than 60 tournaments in nearly 30 countries, the ATP recognises its unique platform and responsibility to lead on sustainability.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Sebastian Korda held his nerve on Saturday at the Delray Beach Open, delivering a composed performance to upset second seed Casper Ruud 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.
With his two-hour, six-minute win over the Norwegian, the American advanced to his first semi-final at the tournament since 2021.
“I tried battling as much as I could,” Korda said. “Luckily, I found some form and started playing really well after that [first set].”
After an error-strewn opening set in which he hit 17 unforced errors, Korda took control of the match in the second set. He swung the momentum with a gutsy break at 3-2, fighting back from 40/0 on Ruud’s serve. He claimed another break in the eighth game, clinching the set emphatically with a forehand return winner. In the third set, he secured an early break with a stunning volley and finished having won 24 of 29 points at the net. The 25-year-old fired 10 aces and won 72 per cent (34/47) of his first-serve points according to ATP Infosys Stats.
The American will face third seed Flavio Cobolli for a place in the final. Cobolli defeated Coleman Wong 7-5, 6-7(7), 6-2 in two hours and 14 minutes to deny the 21-year-old his first tour-level semi-final.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Ben Shelton has withdrawn from the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC to focus on recovery, the tournament announced Friday.
The lefty won his first title of the season last week in Dallas, where he defeated fellow American Taylor Fritz in the ATP 500 final. According to the Acapulco tournament’s announcement, Shelton experienced discomfort in his quadriceps, leading to his decision to withdraw from the Mexican ATP 500 event.
The 23-year-old is off to a quick start in 2026, having made the quarter-finals in Auckland, the quarter-finals at the Australian Open and lifted the trophy in Dallas. He is 10-2 this season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.
The No. 9 player in the PIF ATP Rankings has previously competed in Acapulco three times, with his best result coming in 2024, when he advanced to the quarter-finals before losing to Casper Ruud in three sets.
The Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC main draw begins Monday. Learn all you need to know about the Acapulco tournament, including information on the draw, schedule, history and more.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina beats world number four Coco Gauff to set up a final against American Jessica Pegula at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Carlos Alcaraz’s mental resolve was heavily tested by defending champion Andrey Rublev on Friday at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, but the top seed ultimately found a way through, converting his sixth match point to seal a dramatic passage into the final.
The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings battled for a gripping 7-6(3), 6-4 victory under the lights in Doha to extend his perfect start to 2026 to 11 matches. Although he twice failed to serve out the opening set and saw a 3-0 lead in the second quickly erased, Alcaraz remained steady under pressure to advance to the Qatari ATP 500 final for the first time after two hours, two minutes.
See you in the silverware showdown 👉😁
World No.1 @carlosalcaraz breaks new ground in Doha 7-6(3), 6-4 🆚 Rublev@QatarTennis | #QatarExxonMobilOpen pic.twitter.com/clGTuSEvTM
— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 20, 2026
“I know what I am able to do every time I step on the court, what I am capable of doing,” Alcaraz said when asked if he is ever amazed by himself. “The way that I am approaching every match, I’m just really proud about it. It’s something I am trying to be better at and it’s paying off. I’m proud of myself [for] getting better and maturing.”
Awaiting Alcaraz in Saturday’s final will be sixth seed and 2024 finalist Jakub Mensik — who defeated World No. 1 Jannik Sinner on Thursday — or France’s Arthur Fils. With his semi-final victory, Alcaraz stretched his Lexus ATP Head2Head lead over two-time Doha champion Rublev to 5-1.
Since capturing the Australian Open crown in January to become the youngest man to complete the Career Grand Slam, the 22-year-old Alcaraz has played with assurance, but his path in Doha has required persistence. After rallying past former champion Karen Khachanov in three sets in the quarter-finals, the top seed faced more challenges against Rublev.
“If you want to find a solution to a problem, you should find it in a calm place,” Alcaraz said. “It’s something I am working on. When I am playing and getting mad, seeing I’m not at my best, I just get frustrated. That is not the place you will find solutions. In these matches, I have been really calm, thinking clearly and being positive. It’s in those places where you can find the solutions to a problem.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]