Preview ATP Mexican Open Acapulco: Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud, and Tommy Paul ready to battle

Everything is set for the ATP Mexican Open, an ATP 500 tournament that will take place in Acapulco, Mexico, from February 24 to March 1, 2025, at the Arena GNP Seguros.

The tournament features a notable draw, including seven top-20 players, led by Alexander Zverev (No. 2), Casper Ruud (No. 5), and Tommy Paul (No. 10). It will also mark the return to hard courts for some players, such as Zverev and Holger Rune, as they prepare for the Sunshine Double.

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Past Champions and Records

The defending champion is Alex de Minaur, who won back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024, defeating Tommy Paul and Casper Ruud in the finals, respectively. However, the Australian has opted to compete in the ATP 500 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships this year instead of traveling to Mexico.

The most successful players in Acapulco are Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer, both with four titles, as well as Austria’s Thomas Muster, though he won his titles when the tournament was still categorized as an ATP 250 event.

The 2-time defending champion Alex De Minaur will not be part of the draw as he decided to play in Dubai this week

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Top Contenders

Alexander Zverev (No. 2) enters the tournament after competing in South America, where he was the top seed at the Argentina Open and Rio Open—the only top-10 player to participate in the Golden Swing. Despite being comfortable on clay, he finished with a 3-2 record, falling in the quarterfinals of both events. This missed opportunity not only cost him points in his race to catch Jannik Sinner in the rankings but also limited his match play on hard courts before Indian Wells.

Casper Ruud (No. 5), the second seed, arrives in Acapulco after an impressive run at the Dallas Open, where he reached his first final in nine months (since Geneva 2024). However, he finished as runner-up, losing to Denis Shapovalov. Notably, he did not face any top-50 players on his way to the final, raising questions about whether he is ready to compete against higher-ranked opponents in a tournament where more than half the players are inside the top 50.

Recently Shapovalov defeated Casper Ruud at the Dallas Open final, winning his second title.

Tommy Paul (No. 9), the 2023 finalist, arrives in excellent form after recently breaking into the top 10. With a 9-3 record in 2025, he has reached two semifinals and one quarterfinal in three tournaments so far this season. The American may not have received as much attention as some of his top-10 colleagues, but his consistency over the past couple of years has proven that he can compete with the best in the world.

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Holger Rune (No. 13), the fourth seed, is another strong contender, having reached the semifinals in the last two editions of the event. The Dane suffered an early exit at the Argentina Open two weeks ago against Mariano Navone and later cited a shoulder injury to withdraw from the Rio Open, where he was the second seed. The 21-year-old is looking to meet the high expectations set for him in recent years, and the Mexican Open could be a great opportunity to make a deep run, especially after a shaky start to the year with a 4-4 record.

Rune has a lot of points to defend in the coming weeks, for the semifinals in Acapulco 24‘ and quarterfinals in Indian Wells 24'

Other Names to Watch

Ben Shelton (No. 14) is always a dangerous opponent, particularly on fast courts where he can maximize his powerful serve and aggressive play. The American recently reached the semifinals of the Australian Open—his second career Grand Slam semifinal—before falling to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. This week, Shelton has the chance to achieve his career-high ranking and even break into the top 10 with a strong performance.

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Lorenzo Musetti (No. 17) also made the switch from hard courts to the South American clay swing but, like Rune, was forced to withdraw from the Argentina Open in the quarterfinals and later skipped the Rio Open due to injury. The Italian will be making his debut at the Mexican Open.

World No. 32 Denis Shapovalov is one of the most in-form players in the draw. The Canadian recently won the title at the Dallas Open, looking closer to his best level—one that saw him inside the top 10 a few years ago. Despite not being seeded, his strong run in Dallas, where he claimed three top-10 wins—including victories over Ruud and Paul, two of the main title contenders this week—makes him a legitimate threat in Acapulco.

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