Draw ATP Mexican Open Acapulco featuring Alexander Zverev, Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton

Sunday, 23 February 2025 at 09:00

The draw for the ATP 500 Mexican Open Acapulco has been revealed, in a preparatory tournament for the Sunshine Double, as it is played on outdoor hard courts in North America. The tournament takes place at the Arena GNP Seguros in Acapulco, Mexico, and will not feature defending champion Alex de Minaur, who has chosen to compete in Dubai this time.

It will be a tournament packed with big names on the ATP Tour, led by World No. 2 Alexander Zverev. Other notable contenders include Casper Ruud, Holger Rune, Tommy Paul, and Ben Shelton.

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In a 32-player draw, all top stars will be in action from the first round, including an exciting clash between Zverev and young Italian Matteo Arnaldi. The winner won't have it easy in the second round, as they could face one of two former top-10 players: Cameron Norrie or Denis Shapovalov. The Canadian arrives in Acapulco in strong form, having won the Dallas Open title last week.

Casper Ruud defeated Casper Ruud in the DC Open final 7-6(5), 6-3 and won his third title.

Second seed Casper Ruud will take on Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech, in a match where the Norwegian is the clear favourite, despite his inconsistent form. The three-time Grand Slam finalist recently made the Dallas Open final, bouncing back after winning just four of his previous 14 matches since the Tokyo Open.

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Third seed Tommy Paul and sixth seed Lorenzo Musetti—who share the same quarter—will each face a qualifier. These could turn into tricky matches, considering that players like Learner Tien and Mattia Bellucci are still in the qualifying draw, both having recent wins over top-5 opponents. Moreover, qualifiers often enter the main draw well-adjusted to the tournament conditions.

Ben Shelton will face Flavio Cobolli, a player who holds a 2-0 head-to-head lead over the American, having beaten him in Geneva and Washington (DC Open) in 2024. In the same quarter, Holger Rune will take on Spain’s Roberto Carballés Baena. Both are returning to hard courts after competing in the Golden Swing, where Rune suffered an injury, raising concerns about his physical condition heading into Acapulco.