Frenchman to Face Rublev in Second Round Rematch of Past Champions
DUBAI — In a blockbuster first-round clash that pitted the last two champions of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships against each other, Ugo Humbert of France emerged victorious, defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in straight sets 6-4, 7-5.
The match was a rare early showdown between the tournament’s 2024 winner (Humbert) and its 2025 defending champion (Tsitsipas). Ultimately, it was Humbert’s superior consistency that proved decisive, as the Greek star struggled with a series of unforced errors under the lights on Centre Court.
“It’s good to be back where I have won a tournament, but today, it was a tough match,” Humbert said after the win. “Having said that, this is a wonderful tournament and a beautiful court. I have beautiful memories of winning the tournament, the first big tournament of my career.”
With the victory, the French left-hander advances to set up another heavyweight encounter. He will next face Russia’s Andrey Rublev, the 2022 Dubai champion, in the second round.
Rublev secured his place in the next stage by defeating Humbert’s compatriot Valentin Royer earlier in the evening, winning 6-3, 6-4. The 28-year-old Russian will be looking to build on a strong run in Doha last week, where he reached the semifinals before falling to seven-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz.
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