ATP Dubai: Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Lorenzo Sonego; Preview, Head-to-Head, and Prediction

Even in defeat, Stefanos Tsitsipas finds gratitude. “Thankful for the fans who cheer, not just for the wins, but for the journey,” he shared after a tough Qatar Open. After a rocky start to 2025-with quite a few early exits in tournaments-the Greek star is determined to reignite his season in Dubai, where he’s twice reached the final. Can he overcome Lorenzo Sonego in their highly anticipated first-round showdown?

Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Lorenzo Sonego: Preview

Stefanos Tsitsipas will be entering this match following his R32 exit from the 2025 Qatar Open. He was defeated by the 21-year-old Serbian tennis player, Hamad Medjedovic in the first round by 6(6)-7,7-5,6(5)-7.

Lorenzo Sonego, on the other hand, had a decent performance in his previous tournament. He’ll be entering this match following his defeat to the Frenchman, Ugo Humbert by 4-6,4-6 in the QF of the Open 13.

Tsitsipas vs Sonego: Head-to-Head

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Lorenzo Sonego have met each other three times in their careers so far. Currently, the Greek star has a lead of 3-0 over Sonego in the H2H record.

• 2023 ATP Masters 1000 Rome R32: Tsitsipas 6-3,7-6(3).
• 2021 ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati R16: Tsitsipas 5-7,6-3,6-4.
• 2021 ATP Masters 1000 Miami R16: Tsitsipas 6-2,7-6(2).

Prediction: Tsitsipas to win in three sets

Although Stefanos Tsitsipas hasn’t been in great form recently, we cannot rule out the chances of the Greek completely, especially in a tournament where he has reached the finals twice. So, considering this and his overall H2H record, I feel Tsitsipas will start this match as a favorite. However, we must not forget that Lorenzo Sonego has a better win-loss record than the Greek at the moment in this season. Currently, Sonego is ranked 36th in the world and he has a win-loss record of 7-5. On the other hand, Tsitsipas (11) has managed to put up a record of just 2-4 in the 2025 season.

Talking about their playing styles, Sonego is known for his versatile playing style. He is equally good from the baseline as well as at the net. Apart from that, Sonego’s incredible fighting spirit and his ability to bring variation to his game make him a real threat to any opponent. His groundstrokes are usually flatter and deeper. Even his serves can do a fair bit of damage on faster courts. Do you know Sonego has already hit 102 aces this season?

On the other side, his opponent, Stefanos Tsitsipas, is an aggressive baseliner who loves hitting powerful groundstroke winners and has a good strong forehand. He has a big serve in his armory, but his signature one-handed backhand shot makes him a really special player on the Tour. Tsitsipas often uses his high topspin rate to push his opponents off the court. However, his biggest weakness has been his high percentage of unforced errors while trying to hit winners. Is this weakness enough to put Sonego ahead of the Greek? Not really! Well, I am rooting for Tsitsipas to win in three sets.