Stefanos Tsitsipas secured his first Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships crown after beating Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets on Saturday.
The Greek fourth seed produced a high-quality performance to defeat Canada's Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-3 in the final and claim his 12th tour-level title.
Tsitsipas had twice previously lost in the final – against Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in 2019 and 2020, respectively – but made it third-time lucky in 2025.
“There is nothing that ensured the win today, it was just pure fighting,” said Tsitsipas after his one-hour, 28-minute victory.
“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.
“I had a great opponent on the other side of the net, I knew it was a difficult task. I’m just proud of the way I managed the pressure and was able to perform in those crucial moments.”
Victory also means Tsitsipas will return to the top-10 of the ATP rankings for the first time since last May.
The two-time Grand Slam finalist was making his first appearance in Dubai for five years, defeating Lorenzo Sonego, Karen Khachanov, Matteo Berretini and Tallon Griekspoor – who knocked out top seed Daniil Medvedev in the last eight – to reach the final.
“These are the things we are fighting for as professional tennis players,” added Tsitsipas who will now be ranked at No 9.
“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.”
His target now will be to go one step further in a Grand Slam and seal a first major crown having finished runner-up at the 2021 French Open and 2023 Australian Open, losing to Djokovic on both occasions
Auger-Aliassime, who leads the ATP Tour in wins this season, was unable to add to the titles he won in Adelaide and Montpellier.
“Tonight wasn’t meant to be, but congrats to Stefanos and his team,” said Auger-Aliassime, who was attempting to seal an eighth ATP Tour title.
“We’ve known each other a long time, but tonight you played at a very high level – I can say that for sure. I’ll push to get better and hopefully we'll have more chances to play finals in the future.”
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Henrik Stenson's finishes at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship:
2006 - 2
2007 - 8
2008 - 2
2009 - MC
2010 - 21
2011 - 42
2012 - MC
2013 - 23
2014 - MC
2015 - MC
2016 - 3
2017 - 8
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
THREE
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The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
Company%20Profile
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The specs: 2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy
Price, base / as tested Dh97,600
Engine 1,745cc Milwaukee-Eight v-twin engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 78hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque 145Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.0L / 100km (estimate)
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THE SPECS
Aston Martin Rapide AMR
Engine: 6.0-litre V12
Transmission: Touchtronic III eight-speed automatic
Power: 595bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh999,563
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
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Keane on …
Liverpool’s Uefa Champions League bid: “They’re great. With the attacking force they have, for me, they’re certainly one of the favourites. You look at the teams left in it - they’re capable of scoring against anybody at any given time. Defensively they’ve been good, so I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t go on and win it.”
Mohamed Salah’s debut campaign at Anfield: “Unbelievable. He’s been phenomenal. You can name the front three, but for him on a personal level, he’s been unreal. He’s been great to watch and hopefully he can continue now until the end of the season - which I’m sure he will, because he’s been in fine form. He’s been incredible this season.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s instant impact at former club LA Galaxy: “Brilliant. It’s been a great start for him and for the club. They were crying out for another big name there. They were lacking that, for the prestige of LA Galaxy. And now they have one of the finest stars. I hope they can go win something this year.”
MORE ON THE US DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm
Torque: 520Nm at 1,800-5,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Price: from Dh498,542
On sale: now
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
