Felix Auger-Aliassime converts 6th MP in Dubai opener, Jack Draper wins on return | ATP Tour

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Auger-Aliassime converts 6th MP in Dubai opener, Draper wins on return

Top seed downs Zhang, units R2 vs. Mpetshi Perricard at ATP 500 occasion

February 23, 2026

Felix Auger-Aliassime is again on the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships to go one step additional than final yr, and the highest seed decided made a assured begin to his 2026 marketing campaign on Monday, regardless of needing six match factors to cross the road.

The No. 8 participant in the PIF ATP Rankings moved previous Zhang Zhizhen 6-3, 7-(4) to launch his title bid on the ATP 500 occasion. Twelve months in the past, Auger-Aliassime superior to the Dubai last earlier than falling to an impressed Stefanos Tsitsipasand the Canadian is as soon as once more among the many favorites.

“I stopped counting at some point, it was getting too frustrating,” Auger-Aliassime stated of the missed match factors. “Having match points is the position you want to be in as a player, but it’s weird how the mind plays a trick on you. How much further I am from losing than he is, he should be the one that’s tight. But I told myself ‘If there is a third set, I’ll be there’.”

Since retiring from his first-round conflict with Nuno Borges on the Australian Open In January, Auger-Aliassime has rediscovered a few of his greatest type. He has gained 9 of his previous 10 matches, lifting the trophy in Montpellier earlier than ending runner-up in Rotterdam.

With his velocity and artful court docket protection, Auger-Aliassime saved all 4 break factors he confronted in opposition to Zhang, in accordance with Infosys ATP Stats. The 25-year-old then missed two match factors on returning at 5-4 and three at 6-5 in the second set, however produced a scientific response in the tie-break.

Competing as the highest seed at an occasion above ATP 250 degree for the primary time, Auger-Aliassime will subsequent face Giovanni Mpetshi Perricardwho earlier snapped his five-match tour-level shedding streak. The big-serving French qualifier defeated Tunisian wild card Moez Echargui 7-6(3), 6-7(3), 7-6(4) to earn his first win since reaching the quarter-finals in Auckland in January.

Jack Draper marked his return to ATP Tour motion in type on Monday, defeating final yr’s Dubai semi-finalist Quentin Halys 7-6(8), 6-3 in simply his second tour-level match of the yr. The Briton, who shut down his 2025 season after the US Open attributable to damage, he additionally earned a win on the Davis Cup victory earlier this month.

“It feels so good to be out here competing in front of people,” stated Draper, the previous World No. 4. “I had a tricky opponent right this moment. I feel he was difficult. He served nice. It might have been somewhat cleaner from my aspect, however I hadn’t performed on the Tour for a very long time. I’m actually happy with the way in which I got here out tonight and hopefully I can preserve on going from energy to energy.

“I’ve been craving the sensation of competing for a really very long time. It simply felt regular. It felt like I used to be coming again to doing what I like. Lots of people have helped me get again to this place after loads of down moments [during] the final eight months. To be again right here, that is one thing to be actually happy with, and lengthy might it proceed.”

In different motion on Monday, 2016 Dubai winner Stan Wawrinka earned his sixth consecutive opening-round win by defeating Benjamin Hassan 7-5, 6-3. Roger Federerthe event’s file eight-time champion, was in attendance to observe his countryman.

With the victory, Wawrinka additionally improved to 10 tour-level wins since turning 40 — essentially the most by any participant in that age group in the Open Era. The Swiss will subsequent face third seed and 2023 champion Daniil Medvedev or Shang Juncheng.