Tennis News

Fonseca & Melo all smiles after Rio de Janeiro doubles win

Brazilians Joao Fonseca and Marcelo Melo treated their home crowd to a convincing victory 6-4, 6-0 victory against second seeds Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni on Wednesday at the Rio Open presented by Claro.

Fonseca and Melo relied on a standout serving percentage, landing 82 per cent of their first serves and winning 84 per cent of those points, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Wild cards in the ATP 500 draw, Melo is 23 years Fonseca’s senior. They will next face Germans Jakob Schnaitter and Mark Wallner or fellow Brazilians Gustavo Heide and Luis Miguel.

Fonseca, seeded third in the singles draw, seeks a spot in the quarter-finals on Thursday against Peru’s Ignacio Buse.

In other action Wednesday, Alejandro Tabilo advanced to the quarter-finals following a 4-6, 7-6(0), 6-2 win against lucky loser Francesco Passaro. Tabilo, who reached the last eight in Buenos Aires last week, has advanced to a Tour-level quarter-final in consecutive weeks for the first time.

Argentine Juan Manuel Cerundolo also earned a tight, three-set win to reach the biggest quarter-final of his career. The 24-year-old overcame Yannick Hanfmann 6-4, 6-7(1), 6-4 after two hours and 49 minutes. At No. 68 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, Cerundolo is on pace for a new career high.

Vit Kopriva downed Roman Andres Burruchaga 6-3, 6-1 and Thiago Agustin Tirante advanced past Francisco Cerundolo when the top seed retired at 6-2, 3-1 due to injury.

Source link

Top seed Cerundolo retires in Rio de Janeiro due to injury

Argentine Thiago Agustin Tirante led countryman and top seed Francisco Cerundolo 6-2, 3-1 in the second round of the Rio Open presented by Claro on Wednesday evening when Cerundolo retired due to a back injury.

Fresh off a run to his hometown title at the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires, Cerundolo made a good start at the Rio de Janeiro ATP 500 event with a straight-sets win against Mariano Navone. But he was unable to make it through his match with Tirante.

“It’s not good to win like this, especially with Fran, one of my friends. Any moment, I didn’t see anything,” Tirante said. “I knew that he was very tired from last week, so I had to improve myself on the court and focus on me.”

After one game in the second set, Cerundolo requested a visit from the physio and received treatment on his back. That did not allow him to push on much longer, though.

Tirante hit an ace to take a 3-1 lead — his seventh ace of the match, according to Infosys ATP Stats — and Cerundolo barely moved for the ball. The top seed then approached the net to shake hands with his friend and retire.

Tirante will next take on Francesco Passaro or Alejandro Tabilo.

Source link

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2026: Draws, Dates, History & All You Need To Know

The ATP 500 action continues in the 2026 season at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, where Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alexander Bublik and former champions Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev headline the field.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the tournament in the United Arab Emirates:

When is the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships?

The 2026 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships will be held from 23-28 February. The outdoor hard-court ATP 500 tournament, established in 1993, will take place at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The tournament director is Salah Tahlak.

Who is playing at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships?

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships will feature stars including Auger-Aliassime, Bublik, 2023 champion Medvedev, 2022 champion Rublev, defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas, Jack Draper, Jakub Mensik and more.

When is the draw for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships?

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships draw will be made on Saturday, 21 February at 1 p.m. at Majlis, DDF Tennis Stadium.

What is the schedule for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships?

*Qualifying: Saturday 21 – Sunday 22 February at 11 a.m.
*Monday 23 – Saturday 28 February
*Monday-Thursday sessions starting at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
*Friday session starting at 1:00 p.m.; Not Before 5 p.m. for Singles
*Doubles Final: Saturday 28 February at 4:30 p.m.
*Singles Final: Saturday 28 February at 7 p.m.

View On Official Website

What is the prize money and points for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships?

The prize money for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is US $3,311,005.

SINGLES
Winner: $619,160 / 500 points
Finalist: $333,160 / 330 points
Semi-finalist: $177,555 / 200 points
Quarter-finalist: $90,710 / 100 points
Second Round: $48,420 / 50 points
First Round: $25,825 / 0 points

DOUBLES ($ per team)
Winner: $203,390 / 500 points
Finalist: $108,470 / 300 points
Semi-finalist: $54,880 / 180 points
Quarter-finalist: $27,450 / 90 points
First Round: $14,200 / 0 points

How can I watch the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships?

Watch Live on TennisTV
TV Schedule

How can I follow the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships?

Hashtag: #DDFTennis
Facebook: DDFTennis
Instagram: @ddftennis
X: @DDFTennis

Who won the last edition of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in 2025?

Stefanos Tsitsipas won the 2025 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title by defeating Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-3 in the singles final. TYuki Bhambri and Alexei Popyrin lifted the doubles trophy, overcoming Harri Heliovaara and Henri Patten 3-6, 7-6(12), 10-8 in the final.

Watch highlights from the Tsitsipas vs. Auger-Aliassime final:

Who holds the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships record for most titles, oldest champion, youngest champion and more?

Most Titles, Singles: Roger Federer (8)
Oldest Champion: Roger Federer, 37, in 2019
Youngest Champion: Rafael Nadal, 19, in 2006
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 1s Roger Federer in 2004-05, 2007, Novak Djokovic in 2013, 2020 and Andy Murray in 2017
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 61 Jerome Golmard in 1999
Last Home Champion: None
Most Match Wins: Roger Federer (53)

View Who Is Playing, Past Champions, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown

Source link

Sinner and Alcaraz reach Qatar quarter-finals

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz remain on course to meet in the Qatar Open final after both claim straight-set wins on Wednesday to reach the last eight.

Source link

Alcaraz reels in Royer in Doha, sets Khachanov QF clash

Carlos Alcaraz roused a big finish to secure progress in straight sets on Wednesday at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha.

The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings overcame Valentin Royer 6-2, 7-5 to seal his quarter-final spot at the hard-court ATP 500. Alcaraz reeled off five consecutive games from 2-5 in the second set, raising his level in typically classy fashion to round out a 96-minute second-round triumph.

World No.1 ways 🗣️💪@carlosalcaraz fends off Royer 6-2, 7-5 to return to the Doha quarter-finals@QatarTennis | #QatarExxonMobilOpen pic.twitter.com/wX6PGzjSF7

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 18, 2026

“Obviously I had to be prepared for everything,” said Alcaraz, when asked if he ever doubted he could secure the win. “There were some moments when I thought about a third set, I’m not going to lie, but obviously it was just a small place in my mind that was thinking that. The rest was working to find solutions, to find the right way again.

“I’m just really pleased and really happy I was able to find good rhythm again, and good tennis. It’s just about fighting. I know tennis. It’s just about one point, and sometimes it is really difficult to close out the set or the match. I just had to stay there, and I’m happy I turned it around and got the win in straight sets.”

Now on a nine-match winning streak after backing up his Australian Open title run by reaching the quarter-finals in Doha, Alcaraz will on Thursday take on Karen Khachanov for a last-four spot. The seventh-seeded Khachanov, who downed Marton Fucsovics 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 earlier on Wednesday, was the 2024 champion in the Qatari capital.

Alcaraz is now on a 27-match winning streak on outdoor hard courts, dating back to his title run at the Cincinnati Open last August. The 22-year-old is chasing his maiden trophy in Doha, where he fell at the quarter-final stage to Jiri Lehecka on event debut a year ago.

Despite defeat, Royer will have plenty of positives to take from his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with Alcaraz, and he has risen seven spots to No. 53 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings after reaching the second round in Doha. The 24-year-old Frenchman showed few nerves as he moved within a game of the second set, but he was unable to counter Alcaraz’s late charge.

After Alcaraz initially broke to move back on serve and then levelled at 5-5, the Spaniard produced a pair of stunning passing shots to secure a second consecutive break for 6-5. From there, he had no issues closing out a win in which he converted four of eight break points he earned, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Source link

Fils working with ‘hell of a champion’ Ivanisevic

Arthur Fils is taking advice from a man with plenty of big-stage experience in his bid to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2025 season.

The 21-year-old Frenchman confirmed on Wednesday that he is working with former No. 2 and 2001 Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic. Fils, who was speaking after his 6-1, 7-6(7) second-round victory against Quentin Halys at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha, was full of praise for a man who also coached Novak Djokovic from 2018 to 2024.

“Hell of a champion, winner of a Slam, and he coached a lot of guys, a lot of champions actually,” Fils told ATP Media. “He’s helping me during the season. We are going to try [it out], but I think it’s good for me. It’s maybe the best for me to have his experience as a coach and as a player. So very, very happy that he joined us during this long journey.”

After hitting his career high of No. 14 in the PIF ATP Rankings in April last year, Fils sustained a stress fracture in his back at Roland Garros in late May. He competed at just one more event, the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers in Toronto in early August, for the rest of the year.

Yet after returning to action at the ATP 250 in Montpellier earlier this month, he is now into his second quarter-final of 2026 in Doha. Alongside Ivanisevic, he will on Thursday attempt to navigate a way past Jiri Lehecka to reach the semi-finals at the hard-cout ATP 500.

Source link

Will Alcaraz, Sinner or Rublev catch the Doha title?

Who will cast their line for Doha glory this week?

Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Andrey Rublev are among those competing at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, where the superstars swapped their racquets for fishing rods ahead of the ATP 500 tournament. Daniil Medvedev, who fell to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round, was also part of the fishing fun on Sunday.

<img alt=”Carlos Alcaraz fishing in Doha Sunday.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2026/02/17/19/30/alcaraz-doha-2026-fishing.jpg” />

The lighthearted outing made waves on social media, with fans enjoying everything from Sinner’s catch of the day to clips of the four rivals sharing laughs.

Alcaraz and Sinner are both vying for their first Doha crown. The Italian is making his first appearance while Alcaraz is competing in Qatar for the second consecutive year.

<img alt=”Jannik Sinner fishing in Doha Sunday.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2026/02/17/19/26/sinner-doha-2026-fishing.jpg” />

Alcaraz recently won the Australian Open to complete the Career Grand Slam and extend his lead over Sinner in the battle for World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Should Alcaraz and Sinner meet in the Doha final, it would mark their first clash in 2026 and 17th Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting overall.

Rublev is the defending champion in Doha, having also triumphed in 2020. He is seeded to meet Alcaraz in the semi-finals.

<img alt=”Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and Jannik Sinner take a selfie on a fishing boat Sunday in Doha.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2026/02/17/19/30/alcaraz-medvedev-rublev-sinner-doha-2026-fishing-selfie.jpg” />
^{All photo credits belong to @qatartennis}

Source link

Ruud, new father, returns ‘to win matches and see if I can play for more than myself’

Casper Ruud won’t have to look far for extra motivation as he begins his debut campaign at the Delray Beach Open this week.

Just weeks after he and his fiancée Maria welcomed the birth of their first child, a daughter, the Norwegian arrives in Florida carrying more than racquets and expectations. He brings with him the life-altering joy of new fatherhood and, ahead of his opening match against Marcos Giron at the ATP 250 hard-court event, Ruud reflected to the media on the emotional whirlwind that has reshaped his world.

“It was an incredibly emotional moment,” Ruud said. “I think for anyone who has become a parent, it’s an incredible feeling and hard to explain with words.

“I’m excited for the future. This is just the beginning of 20 to 25 years of taking care of her. It’s fun and exciting, I will try to use it as motivation and try to remember that you’ve travelled this far and being away from her, you might as well try your best and play some good tennis while you’re at it.”

Ruud had already gathered momentum this season by reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open before he returned home to Norway, where he announced his daughter’s arrival at the end of January. Now, the challenge shifts from balancing backhands to balancing life on Tour with life as a new father.

The early-season hard-court swing will test that balance. Delray Beach marks the first stop in a stretch that also includes the ATP 500 in Acapulco and ATP Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami.

For Ruud, the former No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, the miles may feel longer than before.

“It will be a tough trip, because it won’t be that easy for them to come over here and I will miss them and at times feel homesick,” Ruud said. “I’ll do my best and see if I can end the hard-court swing, for a while, on a good note before we head back to Europe and start the clay season.

“That will be the goal for these couple of weeks and months coming up, [starting] here, then Acapulco, Indian Wells and Miami: To win some matches and see if I can play for more than myself.”

Ruud begins that run in a strong Delray Beach field that features two-time champion Taylor Fritz and reigning Next Gen ATP Finals titlist Learner Tien.

First up for the second-seeded Ruud is Giron on Wednesday, with their Lexus ATP Head2Head series locked at 2-2. While much has changed in his personal life, he is confident his tennis foundations remain intact.

“My forehand still feels pretty similar to before, and my backhand as well,” Ruud joked. “I haven’t got an overuse of my arm yet. I haven’t carried her too much yet!”

Source link

Badosa hits back at claim of 'disrespectful' retirement

Former world number two Paula Badosa responds to claims she is “disrespectful to the game” following her withdrawal from a match in Dubai.

Source link

Hometown hero Fonseca earns first win of the season in Rio de Janeiro

There is no place quite like home to find some rhythm again.

Following an injury setback and a series of early exits, hometown hero Joao Fonseca earned his first win of the season Tuesday at the Rio Open presented by Claro by defeating countryman Thiago Monteiro 7-6(1), 6-1 in the opening round.

“It’s just amazing having my first victory of the year [here] after a tough few months,” Fonseca said. “It’s just super special, so I’m very happy.”

In his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting against Monteiro, Fonseca delivered a dominant serving display. He fired seven aces, including two in a clutch opening set tie-break, and won 84 per cent (36/43) of his first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats. Buoyed by a boisterous home crowd, the 19-year-old claimed the win in one hour and 24 minutes, during which he did not face a break point. He will face Ignacio Buse in the next round.

In other opening-round action, Matteo Berrettini held firm to defeat lucky loser Tomas Barrios Vera 7-6(1), 7-5. The match featured only one break of serve when Berrettini broke Barrios Vera in the final game to seal his two-hour, 25-minute win against the Chilean.

Tomas Martin Etcheverry and top seed Francisco Cerundolo both advanced to the second round by winning an all-Argentine clash. Etcheverry defeated Francisco Comesana 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 and Cerundolo cruised past Mariano Navone 6-3, 6-4. His younger brother, Juan Manuel Cerundolo, upset second seed Luciano Darderi 6-1, 3-6, 6-4. The victory came just two days after Francisco defeated Darderi in the Buenos Aires final.

Watch Cerundolo vs. Navone highlights:

Other winners on Tuesday included Roman Andres Burruchaga and lucky loser Francesco Passaro. Burruchaga defeated fifth seed Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-3, 6-4 and Passaro beat Dino Prizmic 6-3, 6-4.

Source link