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Tennis

Dubai Open 2025: Yuki Bhambri and Alexei Popyrin clinch the doubles title

Yuki and Alexei defeated the second-seeded pair of Harri Heliovaara from Finland and Henry Patten from Britain in the final.

Yuki Bhambri
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Indian Tennis player Yuki Bhambri.

By

The Bridge Desk

Updated: 1 March 2025 3:27 PM GMT

The dream run of the Indo-Australian pairing of Yuki Bhambri and Alexei Popyrin continued as they clinched the doubles title at the Dubai Tennis Championships on Saturday with a hard-fought three-set victory.

The duo secured a thrilling 3-6, 7-6, 10-8 win in the final of this ATP 500 tournament, edging out the second-seeded pair of Harri Heliovaara (Finland) and Henry Patten (Great Britain) in 1 hour and 53 minutes.

This was India's first ATP title of the season. Meanwhile, it marked Yuki’s fourth career ATP doubles title and his first-ever triumph in an ATP 500 tournament.

A thrilling battle

Yuki and Popyrin had a shaky start, conceding a 1-3 deficit in the opening set after Yuki dropped his serve in the fourth game, leading to an early setback as they lost the set 3-6.

The Indo-Australian pair responded brilliantly in the second set, surging to a 3-0 lead. However, they struggled to maintain their advantage as Popyrin faltered on serve, conceding two breaks.

The set eventually went into a tiebreak, which turned into a grueling contest, lasting 26 points before a winner emerged. Yuki and Popyrin held their nerve, saving four match points before clinching the tiebreak 14-12.

The match then progressed to a super tiebreak, where both teams showcased excellent baseline returns, making it a closely contested battle.

However, Yuki and Popyrin found a breakthrough in the latter half, earning four match points. Heliovaara and Patten managed to save three but ultimately succumbed on the final one.

It was a brilliant week for Yuki, as he claimed his maiden ATP 500 title—an achievement made even more special by defeating the current leaders of the 2025 ATP World Tour circuit.

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