Stefanos Tsitsipas won his maiden ATP 500 title with a dominant straight sets victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime in the Dubai Open final on Saturday, Afrosport reports.
Tsitsipas saw off the Canadian 6-3, 6-3 after one hour and 28 minutes to win his first title in almost a year and ended his wait for a title at the Dubai Open.
The Greek had previously lost his two finals at the tournament, falling to Roger Federer in 2019 and Novak Djokovic a year later.
“There is nothing that ensured the win today, it was just pure fighting,” said Tsitsipas. “It’s a big relief that I’m able to hold that trophy after the third attempt.
“It’s something that I had in the back of my mind, and I’m happy to say I accomplished it.”
THE WAIT IS OVER 🏆@steftsitsipas shakes off the ATP 500 finals curse to win his 12th ATP Tour title! 🙌@DDFTennis | #DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/pRvYUug0Kl
— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 1, 2025
The win ensured the 26-year-old, who won his 12th ATP Tour title, ended a losing streak in ATP 500-level, having lost all of his previous 11 finals.
Auger-Aliassime, meanwhile, is leading the ATP Tour this season with 16 match wins and two titles, having won in Adelaide in January and Montpellier in February.
“I had a great opponent on the other side of the net, I knew it was a difficult task,” said Tsitsipas, who did not drop a serve all game. “I’m just proud of the way I managed the pressure and was able to perform in those crucial moments.”
Tsitsipas, currently ranked 11th in the world, will return to the top 10 for the first time since May 2024, when the new rankings are released on Monday.
“These are the things we are fighting for as professional tennis players,” the Greek star said.
“To be owning a spot in the top 10 is definitely one of the greatest feelings a tennis player can experience. It comes with hard work and sacrifices, but I’m happy that I’m in a position where I can really celebrate.”
