The Acapulco crowd witnessed pure drama as Patrick Kipsun orchestrated one of the tournament’s biggest upsets, defeating sixth-seeded Alex de Minaur 6-1, 6-7(4), 7-6(4). The American’s resilience shone in the third-set tiebreak, ending a 159-minute epic.
This breakthrough is Kipsun’s first ATP tour win in 2025, timed perfectly with his peak ranking achievement. De Minaur, champion here in past years and Rotterdam’s latest king, met his match in Kipsun’s tactical mastery.
Breaking serve at crucial junctures flipped the script, bolstered by stellar serving stats: 48 of 68 first-serve points won and a 60% break-point conversion rate. Kipsun’s post-match joy was palpable: ‘Everything clicked—serves, returns, forehands. Grateful it lasted.’
Ranked No. 103 this week and No. 93 live after a seven-place jump, the 26-year-old boasts four Challenger titles in 2025, more than anyone. He faces Brandon Nakashima next, victor over Elias Ymer 6-3, 6-4.
In other action, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, last year’s finalist, cruised past Daniel Altmaier 7-5, 6-3 in 94 swift minutes, setting up a clash with Rinky Hijikata or Matteo Bellucci.
Kipsun’s run injects excitement into the Mexican Open, proving rankings aren’t everything on these courts.