In a thrilling encounter at the 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships, India’s Yuki Bhambri and Australia’s Alexei Popyrin pulled off a major upset by defeating top seeds and world number 1, Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic in the Round of 16. The unseeded Indo-Australian duo settled the match 4-6, 7-6, 10-3, taking just over an hour to advance to the men’s doubles quarterfinals.
How did Yuki Bhambri and Popyrin defeat the world No. 1?
Initially, Bhambri and Popyrin struggled against their high-ranked opponents, losing the first set 6-4. However, the duo found their rhythm in the second set, breaking Arevalo and Pavic’s serve to push the match into a deciding set. Their performance in the second set was characterised by some good play and attentiveness, which helped the duo to get the lead.
Dominance in the super tiebreak
Once in the super tiebreak, Bhambri and Popyrin switched gears and dominated the court. They executed powerful serves, including six aces compared to their opponents’ four, and took control of the rallies. Their confidence on the court were clear as they sealed the decider with a10-3 victory easily. “It was an amazing feeling to win against such strong opponents,” Bhambri said after the match, showing the thrill of overcoming the world-class pair.
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Awaiting the next challenge
With this victory, Bhambri and Popyrin now await the winners of another Round of 16 match between the pairs of India’s Rohan Bopanna & Croatia’s Ivan Dodig and England’s Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool. This win adds to Bhambri’s recent achievements, as he also defeated Arevalo and Pavic in Doha the previous week, albeit with a different partner, Ivan Dodig. Despite crashing out in the semifinals in Doha, Bhambri’s current form suggests he’s on an upward trajectory.
