Ugo Humbert continues to be unbeatable on the biggest stages in tennis.
Playing in his sixth ATP final, Humbert captured his sixth title when he defeated Alexander Bublik 6-4, 6-3 at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Saturday evening. The Frenchman served at 73 percent, struck nine aces without double-faulting, and saved both of the break points he faced to triumph after one hour and 25 minutes.
Two of Humbert’s victories have already come this season and he ended last year by lifting the Metz trophy.
“I played a fantastic level during the whole week,” Humbert assessed. “Today was not easy…. He is not easy to play against. He had some opportunities to break me, but I was really calm and knew exactly what I had to do.”
The left-hander becomes the third player in the Open Era to win his first six ATP finals. It’s a motley crew of characters on the list that nobody would expect, as Humbert joins Ernests Gulbis and Martin Klizan.
Bublik is now 4-7 lifetime in ATP championship matches.
Both Humbert (No. 14) and Bublik (No. 19)–who recently won respective titles in Marseille and Montpellier–will find themselves at new career-high rankings on Monday. The continuation of Humbert’s climb will give him a top-16 seed at the upcoming BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
nice one, Ugo