Tennis News

History! This will happen for the first time in more than 44 years Sunday…

It has been more than 44 years since the first and second seeds have played in the final of three ATP Tour events in the same week. That will change on Sunday.

At the Nexo Dallas Open, the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam and the IEB+ Argentina Open, the first and second seeds will clash for the trophies. It will be the first time that has happened since the week of 19 October 1981 in Melbourne, Tokyo and Vienna. The only other time on record it has happened was the week of 6 October 1980 in Barcelona, Brisbane and Tel Aviv.

Ivan Lendl, one of 29 members of the ATP No. 1 Club, was involved in both weeks and both times claimed glory (Barcelona in 1980 and in Vienna in 1981). 

Week Of 19 October 1981

Week of 6 October 1980

This week, four members of the Top 10 in the PIF ATP Rankings will play for a title, with two championship clashes exclusively featuring Top-10 players.

Top seed Taylor Fritz will take on second seed Ben Shelton in the Dallas final. They have split their two previous Lexus ATP Head2Head series meetings, including Shelton’s win in last year’s Toronto semi-finals en route to his first ATP Masters 1000 title.

Top seed Alex de Minaur is the first man to make the Rotterdam final in three consecutive seasons in tournament history and will try to finish the week on a high note against second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Top seed Francisco Cerundolo hopes his third Buenos Aires final will be the charm. The Argentine will try to claim his maiden title on home soil against second seed Luciano Darderi.

Week of 9 February 2026

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Cerundolo one win from banishing Buenos Aires heartbreak

One more win.

That is all that separates Argentine Francisco Cerundolo from his first title on home soil after the top seed defeated countryman and seventh seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3, 7-5 on Saturday to reach the final of the IEB+ Argentina Open.

Twice before Cerundolo had reached the final of the ATP 250 event in Buenos Aires and on each occasion he fell just short. Now the 27-year-old will try to take advantage of his third opportunity to lift the trophy Sunday when he takes on second seed Luciano Darderi.

“Just win the last match. I think that’s the only thing I have to do now,” Cerundolo said in his on-court interview. “My first final here [was] against probably peak [Diego] Schwartzman in his best moment of his career, [ninth] in the world. I wasn’t mature enough to play those matches. He killed me.

“Then last year I played an incredible [Joao] Fonseca. I think we played an amazing final, but he was a little bit better than me. So tomorrow I will try to be a little bit better than the opponent.”

Cerundolo is now 15-7 at the Buenos Aires event according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. Although he made the final in 2021 and 2025, this is the first occasion in which he made the championship match without losing a set.

In an all-Argentine battle against Etcheverry, Cerundolo leaned on his big forehand in critical moments and won 39 per cent of his return points to put consistent pressure on Etcheverry, taking a 3-2 lead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

“Super happy. It was really difficult conditions today, super windy. Really tough to play. I think we both tried to play our best. It was difficult. We managed to play good points. I think I served really well, played my service games amazing… I think that was the key. I didn’t let him play with so much confidence in his service games.”

Darderi, who won three titles last season, will play for his first of 2026 on Sunday. The second seed, competing on his 24th birthday, surged past fourth seed Sebastian Baez 7-6(2), 6-1 in one hour and 18 minutes.

“I think the first set was really tough. He played a really good level. But I stayed focused in the tie-break. I think that was the key. I served really well all the match,” Darderi said. “Today is my birthday, so it’s really special here playing in Buenos Aires. All of my family is here, my team, everyone is here, so I’m very happy.”

The No. 21 player in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, the Italian will crack the Top 20 for the first time if he beats Cerundolo.

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Fritz hammers 22 aces to beat Cilic, reaches Dallas final

Taylor Fritz halted the run of a resurgent Marin Cilic in the semi-finals of the Nexo Dallas Open on Saturday.

In a match decided by fine margins, the top seed held his nerve to edge the Croatian 7-6(5), 7-6(3) in a gripping two-hour, two-minute clash, hammering 22 aces past the 37-year-old.

“Just really calm serving. I think that’s the biggest thing when I feel calm and relaxed, I serve well,” Fritz said in his on-court interview.

Both players dominated with big deliveries in a match that featured no breaks. Fritz did not face a break point and struck 22 aces to Cilic’s 16, including four in the first-set tie-break, according to Infosys ATP Stats. Although he failed to convert any of his five break-point chances, Fritz’s composure on serve ultimately made the difference as he won 86 per cent (48/56) of his first-serve points.

“That’s something every tennis player experiences when you’re the one in the opponent’s service games,” Fritz said. “You have some chances, you’re cruising on your service games and all of a sudden they get one break point, you’ll probably win it. You’ll go to the tie-break, all of a sudden some returns came back and I just told myself to be really ready in that tie-break.”

With the win, Fritz took a 3-1 lead in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series and advanced to his first final on home soil after reaching the US Open final in 2024. He will face countryman Ben Shelton or defending champion Denis Shapovalov in the title match.

Cilic was hoping to reach his first final above the ATP 250 level since winning the Queen’s Club title in 2018. With his semi-final run in Dallas, the Croat is up 18 spots to No. 43 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.

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What are the draws in Rio de Janeiro and Delray Beach?

Top seed Francisco Cerundolo and two-time defending champion Sebastian Baez have discovered their paths at the 2026 Rio Open presented by Claro following Saturday’s draw.

Cerundolo launches his clay-court ATP 500 campaign against fellow Argentine Mariano Navone, with their Lexus ATP Head2Head level at 1-1. Cerundolo could then face #NextGenATP Brazilian Joao Fonseca in the quarter-finals.

Baez, who last year became the first man to successfully defend the Rio title, opens against Carlos Taberner. Second seed Luciano Darderi, a three-time clay champion in 2025, begins his bid against Juan Manuel Cerundolo.

View the Rio draw

The former No. 6 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, Matteo Berrettini will play just his second tournament of the season. The Italian withdrew from the Australian Open with an abdominal injury before returning this week in Buenos Aires. He faces countryman Lorenzo Sonego in an intriguing first-round matchup.

Fritz aims for third Delray Beach title

Taylor Fritz begins his quest for a third Delray Beach Open title against Ethan Quinn or Rafael Jodar, who enters the main draw via the Next Gen Accelerator.

Fritz, who lifted consecutive trophies at the ATP 250 event in 2023 and 2024, is the top seed in a field featuring 12 other home players. Among them are fourth seed Learner Tien, 2024 finalist Tommy Paul and 2018 champion Frances Tiafoe.

View the Delray Beach draw

Second seed Casper Ruud returns to Tour action after welcoming the birth of his daughter with wife Maria at the end of January. Making his Delray Beach debut, the Norwegian will face Marcos Giron or a qualifier in the second round.

Defending champion Miomir Kecmanovic opens against Mattia Bellucci, while former World No. 3 Marin Cilic meets seventh seed Brandon Nakashima in another first-round match of interest.

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Muchova defeats teenager Mboko to win Qatar Open

Karolina Muchova clinches her first title since 2019 as she overcomes Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko in the Qatar Open final.

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De Minaur saves 10 BPs vs. Humbert, reaches 3rd straight Rotterdam final

Alex de Minaur summoned a surge of impressive shotmaking when under pressure on Saturday at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam, where he powered into his third consecutive final at the ATP 500 event.

The Australian saved all 10 break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to defeat Ugo Humbert 6-4, 6-3 in one hour, 31 minutes. De Minaur, who finished runner-up in each of the past two editions, is now the first player in tournament history to reach three straight championship matches.

His love affair with Rotterdam continues 🌹@alexdeminaur becomes the first man to reach the @abnamroopen final in three consecutive years! #abnamroopen pic.twitter.com/FF03pdXC6X

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 14, 2026

“I’m super proud of the efforts,” said De Minaur, the No. 8 player in the PIF ATP Rankings. “Today, again, there were a lot of tough moments, a lot of break points, a lot of tricky situations… But I managed to dig myself out of them and I’m super pumped to be in another final here and give myself another chance of hopefully getting the title.

“It’s hard to get a lot of rhythm against him [Humbert]. He looks to get the first strike in the rally whenever he can. He’s such a clean ballstriker and there’s not too many rallies that go up so it’s really hard to get that rhythm and feel comfortable. Not every match you get the chance to be aggressive. Today was one I was certainly not able to do that, but hey, I found a way.”

Chasing a long-awaited Rotterdam crown, De Minaur will face either former champion Felix Auger-Aliassime or Alexander Bublik in Sunday’s final. The 26-year-old also strengthened his form at the ATP 500s, extending his Tour-leading total to 52 wins at that level since the start of the 2023 season.

ATP 500 Win Leaders (since start of 2023 season)

Although Humbert showed his spirit, it was the Australian who proved unshakable in the decisive moments. Combining relentless precision with trademark defensive grit, De Minaur repeatedly absorbed pressure and forced errors on key points, particularly in a tense second set in which Humbert earned four of his break opportunities.

With the win, De Minaur improved to 6-2 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against the Frenchman. Humbert will next compete at the ATP 500 in Doha, where he opens against Fabian Marozsan.

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What is the Doha tennis draw?

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have discovered their potential routes to a blockbuster championship clash at the 2026 Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha, with the ATP 500 draw unveiled on Saturday.

Top seed Alcaraz will open his campaign against Arthur Rinderknech and is projected to face 2023 champion Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals. The 22-year-old Spaniard is chasing his 26th tour-level title and is competing for the first time since capturing the Australian Open last month, where he became the youngest man in history to complete the Career Grand Slam.

Second seed Sinner is also back in action for the first time since reaching the semi-finals in Melbourne. The 24-year-old Italian is making his Doha debut and begins against Tomas Machac, whom he leads 2-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

Third seed Alexander Bublik, who plays Felix Auger-Aliassime in the Rotterdam semi-finals Saturday, starts his Doha title bid against a qualifier. He is a potential semi-final opponent for Sinner. In the second round, Bublik could face former World No. 14 Arthur Fils, who is continuing his comeback from an eight-month back injury.

The field also features several other Top 20 players in the PIF ATP Rankings, including defending champion Andrey Rublev, 2024 finalist Jakub Mensik and Karen Khachanov. Rublev is a two-time Doha champion, having also lifted the trophy in 2020 when the event was still an ATP 250. Khachanov claimed the title in 2024.

Who are the seeds at the 2026 Qatar ExxonMobil Open?

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner lead the field as the top two seeds. Alexander Bublik is seeded third, followed by Daniil Medvedev in fourth and Andrey Rublev in fifth. Jakub Mensik, Karen Khachanov and Jiri Lehecka complete the top eight seeds.

Who are the past champions in the Qatar ExxonMobil Open?

Three former champions are competing this year: Andrey Rublev, Daniil Medvedev and Karen Khachanov.

What are the first-round matches to watch at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open?

Carlos Alcaraz faces Arthur Rinderknech, Jannik Sinner takes on Tomas Machac, and Daniil Medvedev plays Shang Juncheng.

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Love All: ATP Stars celebrating engagements this Valentine’s Day

The ATP Tour calendar rarely slows down. Between long-haul flights, three-set battles and the constant push for PIF ATP Ranking points, players spend much of the year chasing marginal gains on court. But away from stadium lights and scoreboards, life continues to move forward.

This Valentine’s Day, several ATP stars are marking significant milestones off the court as well, celebrating engagements while continuing to compete at the highest level of the sport. 

Alex de Minaur & Katie Boulter
One of tennis’ most visible cross-Tour couples, Alex de Minaur and Katie Boulter got engaged in December 2024. The Australian and the Briton regularly support one another at events around the world, balancing two demanding schedules while continuing to compete at the top level.

During this year’s Australian Open Jim Courier asked how involved De Minaur planned to be during the wedding planning.

“Are you doubting me, Jim?” De Minaur joked. “No, this is a 50-50 relationship! I’ve been involved so far with some of the decisions… When it comes to the details of napkins and flowers, that’s not my forte, so I’ll leave that to Katie.”

Tommy Paul & Paige Lorenze
Tommy Paul is engaged to longtime girlfriend, influencer and entrepreneur Paige Lorenze. As Paul has climbed the ATP Rankings and contended at major events, Lorenze has been a consistent presence in his player box throughout his breakthrough seasons. 

Paul and fiancee Lorenze recently announced the creation of the Kids Outdoors Foundation, which creates opportunities for kids without the financial means to play sports to do so. Read more here…

<img alt=”Paige Lorenze and Tommy Paul celebrate Paul’s 2024 Queen’s Club title.” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/07/14/04/44/lorenze-paul-queens-club.jpg” />
_{^{Paige Lorenze and Tommy Paul celebrate Paul’s 2024 Queen’s Club title. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images}}

Sebastian Korda & Ivana Nedved
Sebastian Korda is engaged to Ivana Nedved. The American, a two-time tour-level titlist, announced the engagement in November. Ivana has been a consistent presence for most of the 25-year-old’s career, dating back to before the American appeared in the Next Gen ATP Finals in 2021. 

Henry Patten & Ellie Stone
Henry Patten’s engagement came during one of the most memorable weeks of his career. The Briton proposed to long-term girlfriend Ellie Stone at the 2025 edition of the Nitto ATP Finals, and capped the week by winning the title with Harri Heliovaara.

“The tennis is pretty good but the engagement was something special,” Patten said to ATPTour.com in Turin in November. “It has been a complete dream for me. Ellie has been here supporting me all week. I am a very happy guy right now. I feel unbelievably lucky to have a partner like her and a partner like Harri.”

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Henry Patten (@hpattenn)

Yannick Hanfmann & Sofie Oyen
Yannick Hanfmann became engaged to his partner Sofie Oyen at the start of this season in Melbourne. 

“It’s beautiful, actually. We were super lucky,” Hanfmann told ATPTour.com in January. “We were driving to the animal park. It was raining and we were a little down, then the weather actually got good. It was super windy, so maybe the bad weather got blown away. The animal park was really nice, we saw koalas and quokkas and wallabies and kangaroos, all of that. That was really nice.

“I kind of knew in that moment I wanted to do it, and told my sister and her fiance to maybe go to the toilet. It was super nice. She was super happy.”

Jason Kubler & Maddison Inglis
Jason Kubler and Maddison Inglis are engaged, forming one of Australia’s professional tennis couples.

“It was super exciting. I didn’t anticipate the hour leading up. I was so nervous. That was crazy. Felt like we were on a first date again,” Kubler told ATPTour.com in January on the proposal. “Very happy I did it. Very happy Maddy said yes, which is good.”

The longtime partners spent December in Perth, with the highlight being their engagement. Read more here...

Cameron Norrie & Louise Jacobi
Cameron Norrie is engaged to longtime partner Louise Jacobi. Their relationship since 2019 has spanned Norrie’s rise from outside the Top 100 to inside the Top 10, highlighted by his Indian Wells title in 2021.

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Fritz survives 'sharp pain', Korda to reach Dallas semis

Taylor Fritz survived a razor-tight match and an injury scare Friday to beat Sebastian Korda 6-7(2), 6-4, 7-6(5) for a place in the Nexo Dallas Open semi-finals.

At 4-5, 30/15 first set, Fritz hit an awkward backhand flick that led to a sharp pain and a physio visit in the same game. After speaking throughout the week about injuries he has dealt with in the past year, it was an alarming sight.

“That was a weird one. He hit a really hard return and so I had to kind of hit a flick backhand and the way that I [hit it], just jammed my elbow I think. It was a hard-hit ball, so I just think the way I hit it behind me and extended my elbow, I instantly just felt this really sharp pain in my elbow,” Fritz said in his on-court interview. “I went over to the towel box, I was feeling it and I was like, ‘I’ll try to hit a serve’. Luckily I made it and it wasn’t a bad serve, because the ball came back and I couldn’t hit the next ball. It was such a sharp pain.”

Fritz had the injury worked on and was still feeling the pain, but not as intensely. He received multiple visits from the physio, which he explained helped.

“It felt like it was better and then I started to get some confidence in it. And then I served one that gave me the exact same pain and it’s such a sharp pain… like I can barely hold the racquet. No chance I can hit the next ball,” Fritz said. “It was weird, but then I got the pain-killers and as the match went on, I stopped feeling it and I was able to trust it and have no pain the whole third, most of the second set.”

Even so, Fritz had to deal with Korda, who served at 5/4 in the final-set tie-break. But the former No. 15 player in the PIF ATP Rankings made back-to-back forehand errors, allowing Fritz to escape. The top seed hit 22 aces and saved all four break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Fritz will next face former World No. 3 Marin Cilic, who stormed past breakthrough Briton Jack Pinnington Jones 6-1, 6-4 in jut 78 minutes.

The Croatian, a 21-time tour-level champion, is pursuing his first ATP Tour title since Hangzhou in 2024. Fritz leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 2-1, but they have not played since 2022.

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Courier hosts new ATP podcast presented by Infosys, examines Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry

The legends of our sport — past, present, and future — stand together on a mountain of titles, achievements and broken records. But what has allowed them to do so?

ATP Beyond the Numbers presented by Infosys is a new series hosted Jim Courier examining the powerful and evolving role of statistics in telling the story of tennis.

Each episode, another expert will join Courier to use Infosys ATP Stats to dig deeper into what makes the sport tick and how those insights are helping unlock a new understanding of the game.

Courier is a member of the prestigious ATP No. 1 Club, having spent 58 weeks at No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings. The iconic player and broadcaster combines his experience on the court with his perspective off it to provide advanced insights into the modern game.

Using their knowledge and the numbers, Courier and his guests will dive deep into the history and future of the ATP Tour and its stars.

Watch the first episode below, with Courier and Mark Petchey exploring rivalries, including the one between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

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