DUBAI OPENER: TOP SEED FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME SURVIVES TENSE TIE-BREAK AGAINST ZHIZHEN ZHANG
Dubai Day 1: Discover how Felix Auger-Aliassime survived a tense tie-break, and Jack Draper made a winning return to the ATP tour.
Top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime and Jack Draper both made it through to the next round at the Dubai Duty Free ATP 500 Tennis Championships, which kicked off today.
Auger-Aliassime had to dig deep against China’s Zhizhen Zhang, coming out on top 6-3, 7-6 after a match that lasted just under two hours. He grabbed an early break in the first set, but the second set was a battle. He had six chances to close it out before finally getting over the line in a tense tiebreak. Relief was written all over his face as he left the court, stopping to sign loads of autographs for the fans who stuck around.
“I stopped counting the match points at some point; it was getting too frustrating,” Auger-Aliassime admitted afterwards. “As a player, you want to be in that position, but your mind plays tricks. I kept thinking, ‘I’m so much further from losing than he is; he should be the one who’s nervous.’ I just told myself, ‘If it goes to a third set, I’ll be ready.’”
Draper, back on the ATP tour after six months away, looked a bit off at the start and had to save a bunch of break points early on. But he settled in and took down Quentin Halys, a qualifier, 7-6, 6-3.
The British No. 1 had a tense moment at 4-5 in the first set, going to deuce three times before holding serve. He got two break points in the next game but couldn’t capitalise. In the tie-break, Draper shot ahead 5-2, lost his lead, but finally edged it out 10-8.
Asked how it felt to be back, Draper said, “It feels so good. Honestly, just being out here in front of a crowd, playing a tough opponent, it was tricky out there. Sure, I could’ve played a bit cleaner, but I haven’t been on tour for a while, so I’m really proud of today. I just want to keep going. This is what I love about being out here, competing, and feeling that adrenaline again.”
Draper’s time off gave him a chance to work on his serve. “My serve was always solid, but it could’ve been more consistent,” he explained. “I worked on a few mechanics, especially after my pec injury last year and the recent bone stress. I’m always looking for ways to get better. Honestly, my serve feels more reliable now than ever, and I just need to get my arm back to 100%.”
Before the tournament started, Draper and Auger-Aliassime popped by the stadium for a surprise session with young players. They ran drills, shared stories from their own careers, and tried to inspire the next generation.
“I think it’s amazing to give back, especially to kids,” Draper said. “I remember how inspiring it was for me to be around players like Andy Murray when I was younger.”
Elsewhere, Stan Wawrinka beat Lebanon’s Benjamin Hassan 7-5, 6-3, and Giovanni Mpetshi-Perricard survived three tie-breaks to win 7-6, 6-7, 7-6 against Moez Echargui.
HOW JANNIK SINNER IS USING THE MADRID OPEN TO SOLIDIFY HIS WORLD NO. 1 STATUS
Carlos Alcaraz faces a race to be fit for Roland Garros. Discover Sinner’s path to a fifth Masters title at the Madrid Open tournament.
Jannik Sinner is hopeful that Carlos Alcaraz's time away from the tour won’t drag on for too long.
Alcaraz is racing against the clock to be ready for the French Open, where the two had a thrilling five-set final last year after injuring his wrist at the Barcelona Open last week.
This injury has kept him out of the Madrid Open again this year, the biggest tournament in his home country, marking the second consecutive absence. Still, he showed up at the Caja Magica on Tuesday to sign autographs.
Sinner ran into Alcaraz at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid on Monday, where Alcaraz was named World Sportsman of the Year. He said, “We talked briefly. Didn’t really touch much on this; it’s a very personal matter. But it was clear he had a cast. Hopefully, that helps him get back out there quickly.”
He added, “It’s a real shame that he and Novak Djokovic aren’t here; two of the biggest stars in tennis are missing from this tournament.”
When asked about his chances of competing in Paris, Alcaraz mentioned, “I have a long career ahead. Pushing to play in Roland Garros right now could seriously set me back down the line.”
The Madrid Open itself is feeling the impact of these withdrawals hard. Along with Alcaraz, Djokovic continues to recover from a shoulder injury, and British players Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu have also pulled out.
Sinner commented, “It’s definitely tough for the tournament. Alcaraz missed it last year, too, so that makes two years in a row without him here, and with Novak also absent, it’s a hard pill to swallow.”
Though Sinner would likely welcome another showdown with Alcaraz after beating him in the Monte-Carlo Masters final earlier this month, the Spaniard’s absence boosts Sinner’s chances to extend his winning streak and widen his lead as world number one.
Interestingly, Sinner has no points to defend because he also missed Madrid last year amid a doping ban, and he’s gunning for a fifth straight Masters 1000 title.
After Monte Carlo, Sinner hinted he might skip Madrid too, but now he says, “I feel quite good. Mentally, I’m focused on Roland Garros. The goal is to be in the best shape possible for that.”
Winning Monte Carlo marked Sinner’s first clay court Masters title, but Madrid remains a tougher challenge. The altitude there creates a unique playing environment, and so far, he hasn’t advanced beyond the quarter-finals in this city.
He reflected, “Different clay courts help me grow as a player, and Madrid’s definitely one of the more demanding ones. I’ve never done very well here, but let’s see how it goes this time. I’m glad to be back.”
WHY NOVAK DJOKOVIC AND CARLOS ALCARAZ FACE A RACE AGAINST TIME FOR ROLAND GARROS
Tennis stars Alcaraz and Djokovic are racing to be fit for the French Open. We analyze their injuries and Jannik Sinner’s path to No. 1.
Novak Djokovic received support from his wife, Jelena, after hosting the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid. The 38-year-old was announced earlier this month as one of the event’s hosts alongside Olympic skier Eileen Gu. Jelena showed her backing by posting the announcement on Instagram, adding a simple red heart emoji.
Djokovic had likely hoped to be in Madrid for the Open but has been sidelined with an injury over the past few months. On the red carpet, he gave a cautiously optimistic update: “I’m doing everything I can to recover and take part in Rome, but I can’t say for sure right now. It really depends on how fast my recovery from the injury goes.”
The news from the current world No. 4 is a bit worrying, as his participation in the Italian Open, the tournament starting in early May, is uncertain. A return at Roland Garros later that month seems more probable as he eyes a remarkable 25th Grand Slam title.
Djokovic hasn’t played since he lost in the quarter-finals at Indian Wells in mid-March, withdrawing due to a shoulder injury. That event was won by Jannik Sinner, who is one of the few major players participating in Madrid this month.
Carlos Alcaraz, however, has pulled out of the latest Masters 1000 event with a wrist injury. He was also at the Laureus Awards, where he was named Sportsman of the Year, and gave an update that didn’t inspire much confidence about his chances at the French Open.
When asked if he’ll be ready for the second Grand Slam of 2026, he replied, “We’ll see. The next scan is crucial, so we’re doing everything to make sure it goes well. I’m trying to be patient.” The 22-year-old has 3,000 ATP points to defend after winning both tournaments last year, so missing either Roland Garros or the Italian Open could be a big blow.
Losing these tournaments would come on the heels of recently dropping his world No. 1 ranking to Sinner. While that might clear the field for Sinner, the 24-year-old is hoping to see Alcaraz back on the court sooner rather than later.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Sinner said, “He’s going through a tough time right now, and I hope to see him back as soon as possible, maybe even in Rome. As a competitor, I want him there at Roland Garros too… Because if you want to win, you want to beat the best players.”
