Kypson’s Grit Overpowers De Minaur in Acapulco
Amid Acapulco’s pulsing night crowd, Patrick Kypson clawed back from the brink to dethrone two-time champion Alex de Minaur, a victory that ignites his tour-level resurgence on these sun-warmed hard courts.
In the thick evening air of Acapulco, Patrick Kypson Patrick Kypson delivered the shock of the opening round at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, outlasting second seed Alex de Minaur 6-1, 6-7(4), 7-6(4). The American qualifier, chasing his first tour-level win since Indian Wells in 2024, turned the hard courts into a stage for his heavy forehands and unyielding returns. De Minaur arrived as the two-time defending champion from 2023 and 2024, his Rotterdam title two weeks earlier fueling expectations, yet Kypson’s probing disrupted that momentum from the baseline.
This marked just Kypson’s fourth tour-level victory overall, with his three from 2024 paling against the Australian’s pedigree, but the 26-year-old’s four ATP Challenger titles in 2025 had sharpened his edge. The match stretched two hours and 39 minutes, Kypson winning 71 percent of his first-serve points on 48 of 68 attempts while converting three of five break opportunities. As the crowd’s cheers swelled with each shift, the qualifier’s composure bridged the rankings chasm, propelling him seven spots to No. 93 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.
“It feels amazing,” Kypson said. “Everything was important. I had to serve well. I had to return well. I hit my forehand really big. Luckily, I was able to do those things for a pretty extended period of time.”
De Minaur falters under early pressure
Kypson seized control in the first set, breaking twice with inside-in forehands that forced De Minaur into stretched crosscourt defenses on the medium-paced hard courts. The Australian’s flat shots lacked penetration against the American’s topspin depth, leading to a lopsided opener where Kypson dictated the tempo. De Minaur’s speed, usually a weapon in retrieval, couldn’t counter the qualifier’s aggressive 1–2 patterns, exposing how post-Rotterdam travel had dulled his reflexes.
In the second, De Minaur rallied with quick down-the-line passes to extend rallies, his slice backhands resetting points and forcing errors to claim the tiebreak 7-4. Yet the effort hinted at fatigue, as unforced mistakes mounted in the longer exchanges. Kypson absorbed the push, his forehand continuing to pin the seed deep, setting up a decider where mental fortitude would decide the outcome.
Decider’s nerve test turns the tide
At 5-4 in the third, De Minaur served for the match, putting Kypson two points from defeat, the humid night amplifying every grunt and footstep. The American held with deep returns and slice approaches that neutralized the serve, forcing the tiebreak where his composure shone. Converting on his third break point, Kypson sealed the upset, saving three of five breaks faced in a display honed from his Texas A&M days.
“[Staying calm and composed] does not come naturally to me,” Kypson said. “That’s probably one of the hardest parts of playing the sport, just keeping it together.” This resilience, built through Challenger grinds, turned potential heartbreak into career fuel, reminding how surface grip and shot tolerance can unravel even champions under spotlight pressure.
American clashes loom in the draw
Kypson now meets Brandon Nakashima in the second round, the compatriot advancing 6-3, 6-4 over Elias Ymer with steady baseline fire. Nakashima’s flat returns will challenge Kypson’s serve, but the qualifier’s topspin could exploit any lapses in the all-American matchup. Elsewhere, 2025 finalist Alejandro Davidovich Fokina dispatched Daniel Altmaier 7-5, 6-3 in one hour and 34 minutes, his drop shots and inside-out angles overwhelming the German in straight sets.
Davidovich Fokina awaits Rinky Hijikata or Mattia Bellucci, where his variety might dominate the faster exchanges. For Kypson, this breakthrough in Acapulco signals a pivot, transforming Challenger consistency into main-draw threat as the tournament’s undercurrents favor those who thrive in the heat.
