By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday February 11, 2024
Ugo Humbert remained perfect in ATP finals, taking out Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets for his fifth career title.
Photo Source: TTV
When the stakes get high, Ugo Humbert takes his game higher. That was the case yet again this week at the Open 13 in Marseille, as the Metz, France native rocked past Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-3 for his fifth career title at the Open 13 Provence.
“It was a great match against Grigor,” he said, after winning for the first time in three tries against the Bulgarian. “He’s a great player at the moment. I tried to stay focused on my serve and was a little bit more aggressive sometimes, and I did it.
“Thank you to the fans. You gave me incredible emotions this week. It’s here where everything began, because here I did my first semifinal on tour - it’s so nice to win in Marseille, it’s a really good feelling.”
By winning the title Humbert becomes one of eight ATP players to have won their first five ATP finals. The 25-year-old has triumphed in Auckland (2020), Antwerp (2020), Halle (2021), Metz (2023) and now Marseille to join a lofty list that also includes Carlos Alcaraz, Hubert Hurkacz and Andrei Medvedev.
Humbert dropped just 12 points on serve and saved both break points he faced as he dispatched the second-seeded Dimitrov in one hour and 23 minutes. He will rise to a career-high ranking of No.18 in Monday’s ATP rankings and take his place as the top-ranked Frenchman.
Humbert took out 8th-ranked Hubert Hurkacz, the defending champion, in Saturday’s semifinal, and improves to 7-9 vs. the Top 20 overall after defeating 13th-ranked Dimitrov.
The contest was dead even through nine games, but Humbert managed to save three game points with Dimitrov serving at 4-5 in the opener. With the crowd banging drums and chanting “UGO!!” between points, Dimitrov saved a set point but couldn’t save a second one, his forehand clipping the net and dropping back on the Bulgarian’s side of the net.
Humbert saved two break points in the first game of the second set, the first with a booming 201 KPH ace down the T, the second when a Dimitrov forehand sailed long.
From there Humbert was off to the races. He trotted out to a 3-0 lead and never faced a break point the rest of the way. He won 15 of his final points on serve to close out the title.
“I cannot win them all but it’s always good to be in the final,” Dimitrov said. “It’s a wonderful feeling to win at home, to win in front of a home crowd, in front of the family and close ones, I think it’s one of the best feelings. You played amazing throughout the whole week and today you completely outplayed me, so well deserved win to you.”