Acapulco
Kypson shocks two-time champion De Minaur in Acapulco opener
Nakshima, Davidovich Fokina advance
February 24, 2026
Mextenis
Patrick Kypson celebrates his three-set win in opposition to Alex de Minaur on Monday night in Acapulco.
By ATP Workers
Patrick Kypson earned the largest win of his profession on Monday on the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, the place he shocked second seed Alex de Minaur 6-1, 6-7(4), 7-6(4) to achieve the second spherical in Acapulco. With the victory, the American notched his first tour-level win since Indian Wells in 2024.
De Minaur was competing in his first match since claiming the Rotterdam crown two weeks in the past. The final two instances he competed in Acapulco, he left as champion, having captured back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024. In stark distinction, Kypson had solely earned three tour-level wins, all in 2024.
“It feels wonderful,” Kypson stated. “Every part was necessary. I needed to serve properly. I needed to return properly. I hit my forehand actually massive. Fortunately, I used to be in a position to do these issues for a reasonably prolonged time frame.”
Kypson was two factors from defeat when De Minaur served for the match at 5-4 within the decider. However the American qualifier held agency to power the tie-break and sealed a hard-fought win in two hours and 39 minutes. He gained 71 per cent (48/68) of his first-serve factors and transformed three of the 5 break factors he confronted, in accordance with Infosys ATP Stats.
“[Staying calm and composed] doesn’t come naturally to me,” Kypson stated. “That is in all probability one of many hardest elements of enjoying the game, simply protecting it collectively.”
The 26-year-old is up seven spots to No. 93 within the PIF ATP Stay Rankings. The previous Texas A&M College star was part of a six-way tie for essentially the most titles gained on the ATP Challenger stage in 2025, with 4. Within the second spherical, he’ll face Brandon Nakashima, who eased to a 6-3, 6-4 triumph in opposition to Elias Ymer.
In different first-round motion, 2025 finalist Alejandro Davidovich Fokina launched his Acapulco marketing campaign with a straight-sets victory. The Spaniard moved previous Daniel Altmaier 7-5, 6-3 in a single hour and 34 minutes and can face Rinky Hijikata or Mattia Bellucci within the second spherical.
Miomir Kecmanovic, Valentin Vacherot and Aleksandar Kovacevic had been additionally among the many winners on Monday in Acapulco. Kecmanovic cruised previous Tristan Schoolkate 6-2, 6-2 to set a second-round assembly with high seed Alexander Zverev or Corentin Moutet, whereas Vacherot outlasted Coleman Wong 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Kovacevic defeated Adam Walton 7-6(1), 7-6(3).
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