Ugo Humbert defeats Alexander Bublik for Dubai title, improves to 6-0 in ATP finals

Ugo Humbert capped a dream week in Dubai on Saturday night, not only capturing the equal-biggest title of his career with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Alexander Bublik in the final of the ATP 500-level tournament, but adding his name to a very exclusive list.

The Frenchman is now 6-0 in his career in ATP finals, just the third man in the Open Era to win their first six ATP finals in a row.

Ernests Gulbis was the first man to achieve the feat, winning his first six between 2010 and 2014 before losing his seventh (and last) ATP final at Stockholm in 2018 to Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Martin Klizan was the second man to do it, winning his first six between 2012 and 2018 before losing his seventh (and last) ATP final at St. Petersburg later in 2018 to Dominic Thiem.

And now Humbert is the newest member of the group, winning his first six title matches in a row at Auckland and Antwerp in 2020, Halle in 2021, Metz last year and Marseille and Dubai this year.

No man in the Open Era has won their first seven ATP finals, so if Humbert wins his next one, he’ll be on an even more exclusive list.

Humbert snuck out two breaks against the big-serving Bublik on Saturday, the first one coming in the very last game of the first set, then the second one for a 3-1 lead in the second set—the two players then held the rest of the way until it was all over.

The Frenchman finished the final with 27 winners to 20 unforced errors, including nine aces to zero double faults.

It was a fantastic finish to an incredibly tough run for Humbert, who had to get through two Top 10 players in the quarterfinals and semifinals—first fighting off three match points to defeat No. 8-ranked Hubert Hurkacz, 3-6, 7-6 (8), 6-3, then taking out No. 4-ranked Daniil Medvedev, 7-5, 6-3. And in his first two rounds he had to battle past ATP legends Gael Monfils and Andy Murray.

But in the end he emerges with his second ATP 500 title and now a Top 15 debut, too—he’s projected to rise from No. 18 to a new career-high of No. 14 on the ATP rankings on Monday.