In a thrilling first-round shocker at the Mexican Open, American Patrick Kipsun pulled off a stunning victory over sixth seed and two-time champion Alex de Minaur. The match went the distance, with Kipsun prevailing 6-1, 6-7(4), 7-6(4) in a grueling two-hour, 39-minute battle.
This win marks Kipsun’s first tour-level triumph of 2025 since Indian Wells last year. Coincidentally, it came the same week he achieved his career-high ranking. De Minaur, fresh off a Rotterdam title two weeks prior, entered as the favorite but couldn’t overcome Kipsun’s relentless pressure.
Kipsun broke De Minaur’s serve decisively, especially in the final set where he edged ahead 5-4 before sealing the tiebreak. His first-serve dominance was key: he won 71% of points (48/68) behind it and converted 3 of 5 break opportunities, per ATP stats.
Post-match, the 26-year-old American reflected, ‘Feels great to get the win. Everything had to be on point—solid serving, strong returns, and powerful forehands. Luckily, I kept it up long enough.’ Now ranked World No. 103 and climbing to No. 93 live, Kipsun leads the pack with four ATP Challenger titles this year.
Next up for Kipsun is compatriot Brandon Nakashima, who dispatched Elias Ymer 6-3, 6-4. Meanwhile, 2025 runner-up Alejandro Davidovich Fokina kicked off his Acapulco campaign with a straight-sets 7-5, 6-3 rout of Daniel Altmaier in 94 minutes. He’ll face either Rinky Hijikata or Matteo Bellucci in round two.
This upset sets the tone for an unpredictable tournament in Acapulco, where underdogs are already making waves.