Stefanos Tsitsipas continues the impressive Dubai record | ATP tour

Match report

Tsitsipas continues the impressive Dubai record

Khachanov, Popyrin -Snap -Loss strip

February 24, 2025

In the past, Stefanos Tsitsipas found his best level at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and reached a final at the ATP 500 event in 2019 and 2020.

The Greek returned to the hardcour event for the first time in five years and tasted again on Monday when he advanced the Italian Lorenzo Songo 7-6 (4) on the second round.

“It wasn't an easy match in the first round,” said Tsitsipas. But towards the end it was great. I felt that I had a little difficulty at the end of the first set, but I came some good returns and I think my attack game came out at that moment.

“I didn't withdraw and that was something I was satisfied with. I am happy about how things have developed. The second sentence felt like the better set. I just took my pictures and they worked. “

No. 11 in the PIF ATP ranking took large cuts from the baseline to control the pace and, according to Infosys ATP statistics, was 81 percent (34/42) points behind its first delivery, by 81 percent (34/42 ) To win points. Tstisipas, who chases his first title of the season, leads Songo 4-0 in the couple's Lexus ATP Head2head series.

The Greek will face Karen Khachanov next. The world No. 24 moved to Daniel Evans 6: 1, 6: 3 to achieve a defeat with three games and win his first victory against the British Wild Card in the couple's Lexus ATP Head2head series. The 28-year-old, who had lost all five of his earlier encounters against the 34-year-old Evans, appeared in Dubai with his ninth time in a row, with his best possible result of a quarter-finals in 2020.

In other actions, the Australian Alexei Popyrin defeated the Lebanese Wild Card Hady Habib 6-2, 6: 4 to achieve his first win of the season. The 25-year-old, who conquered his Maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Montreal last year, will take on the second seed Alex de Minur in the second round.

The Champion 2018 Roberto Bautista Agut has also crossed Fabian Marozsan 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4). The Spaniard will meet the third seed Andrey Rublev or Quentin Halys next. Zizou Berg continued his good season with a 6-3, 6: 3 victory against the Tunisian Wildkarte Aziz Dougaz. The Belgian was advanced in Auckland in January and the semi -finals in Marseille at the beginning of this month.