Tsitsipas 'loses color' falling out of the world top 40 after a disastrous performance

From being one of the world's leading players, Stefanos Tsitsipas is rapidly declining.

The effort to defend the title of Stefanos Tsitsipas at the 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships ended disappointingly when he lost to Ugo Humbert4-6, 5-7 in the opening match on the evening of February 24 (Vietnam time).

This defeat not only caused the Greek player to exit early but also had serious consequences for his ranking points. As the defending champion, Tsitsipas had 500 ATP points to protect during the Dubai tournament week. Failing to win a single match means he lost all those points, resulting in a free fall in the rankings.

According to the ATP Live Ranking, Tsitsipas has dropped to world No. 42. This is the first time since 2018 that he has fallen out of the top 40 — a sign of the alarming decline of the former world No. 3. Even more concerning, the "Greek Prince’s" ranking could drop further if players ranked below him perform well in Dubai or the concurrent tournament in Acapulco.

The possibility of dropping below the top 45 is entirely plausible, making Tsitsipas’s slump even more bitter. Not long ago, he was considered one of the most promising talents in men's tennis, consistently reaching the late stages of Grand Slams and expected to soon ascend to world No. 1.

Tsitsipas has reached two Grand Slam finals and maintained a top 10 position for many years. His aggressive style, powerful serve, and quality forehand made him a symbol of the next generation after the "Big 3." However, inconsistent form over the past two seasons has caused him to fall behind.

The loss to Humbert showed that the 1998-born player has yet to regain stability during crucial points. Unforced errors and limited ability to capitalize on break points remain unresolved issues.

For Ugo Humbert, the win over Tsitsipas advances him to the second round of this year's Dubai Championships, where he will face Andrey Rublev.