By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, February 9, 2026
Photo credit: ABN AMRO Open Facebook
Daniil Medvedev pushed Ugo Humbert to the breaking point six times in the final set.
A tenacious Humbert rose to the challenge then shoved a cranky Medvedev right out of Rotterdam.
Humbert roared back from triple break point down in both the third and seventh games of the decider fending off Medvedev 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-3 to register his first career win in Rotterdam.
Carrying an 0-3 career record at the ABN AMRO Open into this match, Humbert competed with tenacity saving all six break points he faced in the final set to defeat Medvedev for the fourth time in five meetings.
It is the second Top 20 win of the year for the left-handed Frenchman, who beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in last month’s Adelaide semifinals.
It was a frustrating match for former world No. 1 Medvedev, who converted only one of eight break points and let festering frustration erupt repeatedly in the final set.
The 2023 Rotterdam champion Medvedev resorted to the drop shot on several occasions, repeatedly dropped some F-bombs, swiped his Tecnifibre racquet across the court leaving a jagged mark behind the baseline and at one point threw a flying karate kick off the back wall.
Medvedev, whose two-hander is typically a rock-solid shot, made three backhand errors in the last four points of the tiebreaker as Humbert edged the Russian to take a one-set lead.
Resetting, Medvedev reached back for some stinging serves to stave off a couple of break points to rally from 15-40 and hold to start the second set.
That hard-fought hold stabilized the former world No. 1, who reeled off eight of the next nine points in seizing a 3-0 second-set lead.
The left-handed Humbert, one of the rare players who will change his service stance positioning, began standing even wider when serving to the ad court to create a sharper angle on his slider serve to displace Medvedev.
The lanky Russian rolled through 12 of 13 service points stretching his lead to 5-2.
Serving for the set, Medvedev drove his two-hander deep in the court coaxing an error for a second set point. Medvedev deployed the dropper successfully to win the second set and force a decider after 89 minutes of play.
Following an extended bathroom break at the end of the second set, Humbert returned to action and confronted triple break point in the third game.
World No. 36 Humbert curled a crosscourt forehand winner, unloaded a biting forehand down the line then crushed a big serve to save all three break points, eventually holding for 2-1.
Emotional hangover from that failed opportunity blew up on Medvedev, who bungled back-to-back double faults to donate the break and a 3-1 lead to the Frenchman.
In the next game, Medvedev missed another backhand then swiped his racquet off the court three times in succession leaving a gash behind the baseline. “F–king horrible!” Medvedev yelled as Humbert held at 30 extending to 4-1.
Still, Medvedev earned another triple break point opportunity with Humbert serving at 4-2. Again, Humbert flashed a forehand crosscourt to save the first break point then drew two Medvedev errors to reach deuce. Medvedev vented his anger throwing that karate kick off the back wall.
Undeterred, Humbert hit a service winner and an ace holding for 5-2.
Medvedev saved a match point holding for 3-5 to shift pressure back on Humbert’s shoulders.
On his second match point, the left-hander lashed a heavy backhand crosscourt drawing the error to close in two hours, 22-minutes spoiling the Russian’s impending 30th birthday on Wednesday.
