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ATP Acapulco 2026 Preview, Draw, Seeds & Title Predictions

tomasz-wilk
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Last updated: Wed 25 Feb 2026 07:30
The Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC returns to Acapulco from February 23 to March 1, 2026. As a prestigious ATP 500 event, it stands out for its thrilling night sessions and picturesque coastal setting. The tournament will take place at the Arena GNP Seguros, where matches are held on outdoor hard courts. With a strong player field including past champions like Rafael Nadal and renowned competitors such as Alexander Zverev and Alex de Minaur, the event promises to be an exciting part of the ATP Tour. The compact six-day schedule requires participants to manage fitness strategically.
Tomasz Wilk 25 Feb 2026
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  • The Abierto Mexicano Telcel returns to Acapulco in 2026
  • The event is part of the prestigious ATP 500 category
  • The tournament features top tennis stars on outdoor hard courts
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ATP Acapulco
Tomas Machac holds up the trophy after beating Alejandro Davidovich Fokina during their 2025 Mexico ATP Open 500 men´s singles tennis final match. (credit: Getty)
The Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC returns to Acapulco from 23 to 28 February 2026 as one of the premier ATP 500 events on the calendar. Played at the Arena GNP Seguros since 2022, the tournament has been voted ATP 500 Tournament of the Year three times by the players. Its electric night sessions and coastal setting make it one of the most atmospheric stops of the season. 

First staged in 1993, the event was played on clay until 2013 before switching to outdoor hard courts in 2014. That surface change repositioned Acapulco as a key hard-court tune-up ahead of Indian Wells and Miami. Past champions include Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer and Thomas Muster, each lifting the title four times.

Tournament Overview

The Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC is classified as an ATP 500 event on the ATP Tour calendar, placing it among the most prestigious tournaments outside of the Masters 1000 level. It has been voted ATP 500 Tournament of the Year three times and is one of the standout stops of the early hard-court swing.

Category: ATP 500 
Surface: Outdoor hard courts 
Location: Acapulco, Mexico 
Venue: Arena GNP Seguros 
Dates (2026): 23 February to 28 February

Draw & Format 
  • Singles Draw: 32 players 
  • Qualifying Draw: 16 players 
  • Doubles Draw: 16 teams 
  • Match Format: Best of three sets 
  • Ranking Points: 500 to the singles champion 
  • Byes: No first-round byes at ATP 500 level

With a compact six-day schedule, players must win five matches to lift the title, making fast starts and recovery management crucial.

Weekly Schedule Overview
DayRound
MondayFirst Round Matches
TuesdayFirst Round Matches
WednesdaySecond Round
ThursdayQuarter-finals
FridaySemi-finals
SaturdaySingles Final 

With a compact six-day format, players must win five matches to claim the title, placing strong emphasis on fitness, recovery and quick adaptation to conditions.
Prize Money Breakdown (Singles)

Prize money figures reflect the most recent ATP 500 structure. As one of the leading events in this category, Acapulco offers strong financial incentives alongside 500 ranking points to the champion.

Prize Money Breakdown (Singles)Prize (USD)
Winner$461,835
Finalist$248,480
Semi-finalist$132,425
Quarter-finalist$67,655
Round of 16$36,115
First Round$19,260

Playing Conditions & Court Speed

The Abierto Mexicano Telcel is played on outdoor hard courts rated as medium pace, with an ace rate historically around 8 percent. While not among the fastest stops on tour, the conditions reward aggressive baseline tennis and first-strike patterns, particularly during the quicker evening sessions.

Matches are often held under lights in hot, humid tropical conditions, with temperatures typically ranging between 28 and 30°C. The heavy coastal air can make the ball sit up slightly, favouring powerful baseline hitters who can control rallies and handle physically demanding exchanges. Recovery and fitness become key factors across the compact six-day schedule.

Recent Champions

Recent history shows a clear lean toward aggressive baseliners and strong returners thriving in Acapulco’s conditions. Multiple champions such as Rafael Nadal and Alex de Minaur have demonstrated that physical endurance and consistency across the week are key to lifting the trophy.

YearChampionRunner-upScore
2025Tomáš MacháčAlejandro Davidovich Fokina7–6, 6–2
2024Alex de MinaurCasper Ruud6–4, 6–4
2023Alex de MinaurTommy Paul3–6, 6–4, 6–1
2022Rafael NadalCameron Norrie6–4, 6–4
2021Alexander ZverevStefanos Tsitsipas6–4, 7–6
2020Rafael NadalTaylor Fritz6–3, 6–2
2019Nick KyrgiosAlexander Zverev6–3, 6–4

Top Seeds

The top of the draw is stacked with former champions and proven hard-court performers. Zverev and de Minaur bring prior Acapulco success, while Ruud and Davidovich Fokina add depth to a competitive ATP 500 field.

SeedPlayerATP Ranking
1Alexander Zverev4
2Alex de Minaur6
3Casper Ruud13
4Alejandro Davidovich Fokina15
5Flavio Cobolli20
6Valentin Vacherot26
7Cameron Norrie27
8Frances Tiafoe28

Players to Watch

Alex de Minaur 
De Minaur has won two of the last three editions in Acapulco and continues to thrive in these medium-paced, physically demanding conditions. His speed, consistency and defensive resilience make him perfectly suited to the humid night sessions, while his current confidence levels suggest he is playing close to his ceiling. With no dominant hard-court force like Sinner or Alcaraz in the draw, De Minaur appears well set to mount another serious title challenge.

Alexander Zverev 
A former champion in Acapulco, Zverev’s powerful baseline game and strong serving numbers translate well to this surface. Although his recent form has been slightly inconsistent, the overall field lacks multiple elite hard-court heavyweights, which increases his chances of building momentum through the week. If he finds rhythm early, Zverev has both the pedigree and the court suitability to push for the title again.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 
Davidovich Fokina’s baseline style and ability to take the ball early are well suited to Acapulco’s medium-paced hard courts. He came close to capturing a major hard-court title last season and has developed into a far more consistent performer in recent months. With improved shot selection and greater physical stability, he looks capable of putting together a strong run this week and is a realistic candidate to make the latter stages.

Grigor Dimitrov 
A former champion with a proven record at this venue, Grigor Dimitrov has the all-court skill set to thrive in Acapulco’s evening conditions. However, lingering fitness concerns and physical durability in demanding, humid conditions remain question marks. If fully fit, he has the experience and shot-making variety to enjoy a productive week, but his campaign is likely to hinge on how well his body holds up across consecutive matches.

How to Watch – ATP Acapulco 2026

If you’re not watching on TV, platforms like bet365 provide live streaming coverage: 

How to Watch on bet365: 
  1. Register a bet365 account 
  2. Fund your account (minimum balance may apply) 
  3. Go to the Live Streaming section 
  4. Select ATP Acapulco and start watching live

🔐 Note: Streaming availability may vary by region. Most platforms require an active, funded account.

Verdict

Alex de Minaur emerges as the leading contender in Acapulco, having won two of the last three editions and consistently thriving in these humid, medium-paced conditions. His confidence and proven success at the venue give him a clear edge. 

Alexander Zverev shapes as the closest challenger due to his past title run and game suited to the surface, while Alejandro Davidovich Fokina has the proven record at this venue and motivation to make a deep run this week.

Best Bet1: Alex de Minaur Tournament Winner @39/11 at Hollywood bets - 3 Units
Best Bet2: Alexander Zverev Tournament Winner @99/49 at bet365 - 2 Units
Best Bet3: Davidovich Fokina Tournament Winner @451/50 at Star Sports - 1 Unit
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