Humbert stays hot with Marseille title, Paul prevails in Dallas

Ugo Humbert treated the home crowd to a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Grigor Dimitrov in the Open 13 final on Sunday afternoon. Humbert triumphed after one hour and 24 minutes, improving to 5-0 lifetime in ATP finals. He is just the eighth man in tour history to win each of his first five title-match appearances.

“I’m very strong mentally in finals,” the 21st-ranked Frenchman assured. “It was a great match against Grigor; he’s one of the best players at the moment, so it was not easy. It’s so nice to win at home again.

“It’s here where everything began, because I reached my first semifinal on tour [in Marseille]. It’s really nice to win (in) Marseille; it’s a good feeling.”

Humbert’s 2023 fall swing included a quarterfinal run in Shanghai, a semifinal showing in Basel, and a title on the indoor hard courts of Metz. He now owns a 7-1 match record so far in 2024.

At the Dallas Open, Tommy Paul got the best of an all-American showdown with Marcos Giron 7-6(3), 5-7, 6-3 in an entertaining final that lasted two hours and 33 minutes. Paul was playing in his fourth ATP final and won his second title, having previously prevailed on the indoor hard courts of Stockholm in 2021.

“That was a pretty unbelievable match,” the world No. 15 commented. “Best final I’ve ever played.”

“It sucks losing, but there’s nobody else I’d rather go down to than you,” Giron told Paul during the trophy ceremony. “I gave it my all, so no regrets. I’ll come back next year.”