Frances Tiafoe is forced to go the distance in Acapulco.

Jasmine Paolini gets a statement win in Merida.

And Felix Auger-Aliassime continues his February fiesta.

Let's get you caught up on all the results, ramblings, and rigamarole from across the world of tennis.

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⚔️ February's Finest Felix Auger-Aliassime extends his scorching month to 11-1 with a 6-3, 7-6² dismissal of Jiri Lehecka in the Dubai quarterfinal. The 25yo Canadian reaches his 3rd consecutive tour-level semifinal after a title in Montpellier and a runner-up finish in Rotterdam. He is the top seed at an event above ATP 250 level for the first time and has yet to drop a set this week. Feels a lot like the favorite, right?

🎯 Desert Revival Daniil Medvedev dispatches Jenson Brooksby, 6-2, 6-1, to reach his 3rd Dubai semifinal in four appearances. The 2023 Dubai champion trails #10 Alexander Bublik by just 345 points in the live rankings as he pushes for a Top 10 return for the first time since June. His former coach Gilles Cervara, who guided him for eight years before their split last August, now works with American Nishesh Basavareddy.

🔥 Dutch Courage Tallon Griekspoor collects his 2nd top-20 win of the week by dispatching #6 seed Jakub Mensik, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, in Dubai. The 30yo Dutchman started his season 1-5 and now sits in his 2nd consecutive Dubai semifinal. He faces Andrey Rublev, who cruises past Arthur Rinderknech, 6-2, 6-4, to reach his 5th semifinal at the ATP 500 event, joining Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in that elite club.

🌟 Nava Territory Emilio Nava becomes the first American quarterfinalist in Santiago tournament history by defeating qualifier Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, 7-5, 6-3. The 24yo world #79 also upset former world #6 Matteo Berrettini in the 1st round. Nava is the first American man to reach a tour-level quarterfinal on South American clay since Rajeev Ram in 2017 in Quito. He faces top seed Francisco Cerundolo, who rolls past Elmer Moller, 6-2, 6-2, to continue his Golden Swing through the continent.

🌟 Monaco Rising Valentin Vacherot advances to the Acapulco quarterfinal with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Gael Monfils and will rise to a career-high #24 in Monday's rankings. The Monegasque stunned the tennis world last year by winning the Shanghai Masters 1000 after entering qualifying ranked #202. He faces Brandon Nakashima for a semifinal spot.

💪 Houdini Act Frances Tiafoe saves 2 match points in the final-set tiebreak against countryman Aleksandar Kovacevic to claw into the Acapulco quarterfinal. The world #28 faces Mattia Bellucci for a semifinal berth at the Mexican ATP 500.

🔥 Jasmine Blooms Jasmine Paolini snaps a 3-match losing streak with a dominant 6-0, 6-2 win over lucky loser Priscilla Hon in her Mérida Open debut. The world #7, entering on a wildcard, takes the opening 8 games before Hon gets on the board. The Italian earns her first victory since the Australian Open and faces Katie Boulter in Friday's quarterfinal.

🔥 Andorra Rising Qualifier Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva upsets #8 seed Magda Linette, 5-7, 7-6⁵, 7-5, in a 3-hour, 20-minute thriller at the Mérida Open. The 20yo Andorran holds off a late charge after Linette claws back from 2-5 down in the 3rd set. The win gives her a 3rd career tour-level quarterfinal and projects her into the Top 100 in the live rankings.

👀 Call Back Emma Raducanu reunites with former coach Mark Petchey for Indian Wells, just 48 hours after insisting she has no plans to hire a new coach. The 23yo split from Francisco Roig after an uneven start to 2026. Petchey guided her to a Queen's quarterfinal and a competitive Wimbledon match against Aryna Sabalenka during their 4-month stint last year.

👀 Growing Pains 16yo French phenom Ksenia Efremova parts ways with coach Vladimir Platenik barely a month after winning the Australian Open junior title. The junior world #1 may already be working with Emmanuel Planque, who recently split from Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Platenik had identified weaknesses in her serve and forehand and warned that real improvement would take patience.

📰 Settlement Served North Carolina's Reese Brantmeier and the NCAA reach an agreement to settle her federal class action lawsuit over prize money restrictions. Brantmeier, the 2025 NCAA Singles Champion, originally sued in March 2024 after earning ~$50,000 at the 2021 US Open as a high school junior but being allowed to keep only $10,000 plus expenses. The settlement adds to the NCAA's broader reckoning over athlete compensation.

🎾 Write On Entries open for the 2026 Tom Perrotta Prize for Tennis Journalism, honoring the late American writer who died at 44. The $2,000 award is open to writers 35 and under, co-sponsored by the ATP, WTA, ITF, and ITWA. Deadline: April 20. The winner receives the prize at the US Open.

As Carole Bouchard writes in The Second Serve, Arthur Fils returned to competition this month after 8 months away with two stress fractures in his spine and promptly reached the Doha final. His recent decision to recruit Goran Ivanisevic into his coaching team gives a clear signal of greater ambitions.

Evan King's path to the ATP Finals started with quitting professional tennis entirely. The 33yo doubles specialist from Chicago returned to the University of Michigan as a volunteer assistant coach in 2014 before the competitive itch pulled him back. Writing for Tennis.com, Takashi Williams traces the journey from retirement to doubles domination, including the mixed doubles history King and Taylor Townsend made together at Roland Garros.

"With him, I don't have to resort to subterfuge or counter-arguments to contain a player who's trying to contradict me or outmaneuver me. When I think back on Daniil's excesses, today I smile." - Gilles Cervara on coaching Nishesh Basavareddy after eight years with Daniil Medvedev ¹

"We have very different game styles. It took me seven or eight times before beating him." - Felix Auger-Aliassime on Friday's semifinal opponent Daniil Medvedev ²

"Rankings don't even matter anymore, the gaps are so close. Everyone is playing so well. The level of men's tennis is incredibly high compared to when I started." - Frances Tiafoe after saving two match points to reach the Acapulco quarterfinal ³

"At this moment I think I need to regain confidence, to get back to enjoying the court. I started the year with a few ups and downs, but I have to stay positive." - Jasmine Paolini ahead of her Mérida Open campaign ⁴

"I'll help her forever. I'll take a bullet for her." - Mark Petchey on Emma Raducanu ⁵

"Ksenia has a lot to work on. It takes time. And the player needs to understand that. Many people, players, parents, want quick results." - Vladimir Platenik after parting ways with Australian Open junior champion Ksenia Efremova ⁶

DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS — Semifinals

◆ Felix Auger-Aliassime (1) vs Daniil Medvedev (3)

◆ Andrey Rublev (5) vs Tallon Griekspoor

MÉRIDA OPEN — Quarterfinals

◆ Jasmine Paolini (1/WC) vs Katie Boulter (WC)

◆ Marie Bouzkova (4) vs Magdalena Frech

◆ Cristina Bucsa vs Zeynep Sonmez

◆ Emma Navarro (2) or Zhang Shuai (Q) vs Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva (Q)

BCI SEGUROS CHILE OPEN — Quarterfinals

◆ Francisco Cerundolo (1) vs Emilio Nava

◆ Luciano Darderi (2) vs Andrea Pellegrino (Q)

◆ Sebastian Baez (3) vs Alejandro Tabilo (8)

◆ Yannick Hanfmann vs Vilius Gaubas (LL)

ATX OPEN — Quarterfinals

◆ Peyton Stearns (4) vs Oksana Selekhmeteva

◆ Taylor Townsend (WC) vs Rebeka Masarova (Q)

◆ Kimberly Birrell vs Ajla Tomljanovic

◆ Ashlyn Krueger vs Yue Yuan (LL)

¹ Thomas S. "Gilles Cervara speaks frankly." We Love Tennis (via Eurosport), Feb 26, 2026. link

² Coombe, Jerome. "Auger-Aliassime sets Medvedev SF in Dubai." atptour.com, Feb 26, 2026. link

³ Thomas S. "Frances Tiafoe is adamant." We Love Tennis (via TennisTV), Feb 26, 2026. link

⁴ TennisTalker Magazine. "Jasmine Paolini: I need to regain my confidence." TennisTalker Magazine, Feb 26, 2026. link

⁵ Prenn, Tamara. "Emma Raducanu reunites with former coach." Daily Mail (via The Big T podcast), Feb 26, 2026. link

⁶ Moynet, Quentin. "Ksenia Efremova parts ways with Vladimir Platenik." L'Équipe, Feb 26, 2026. link

Additional Sources

Tignor, Steve. "Sinner, Fritz, or someone else: Which ATP star could use a promising Indian Wells result?" Tennis.com, Feb 26, 2026. link

Williams, Takashi. "Evan King doubles down on tennis." Tennis.com, Feb 26, 2026. link

Bouchard, Carole. "Arthur Fils understands the assignment." The Second Serve, Feb 26, 2026. link

Jacot, Sam. "Cerundolo continues Golden Swing in Santiago, Nava breaks American drought." atptour.com, Feb 26, 2026. link

Rico, Andrés Tomás. "Vacherot breaks into the Top 25." Puntodebreak, Feb 26, 2026. link

Navarro, Carlos. "Djokovic told me I have a bright future: Interview with Jaime Faria." Puntodebreak, Feb 26, 2026. link

Murphy, Brian. "UNC women's tennis star reaches deal with NCAA in prize money case." WRAL News, Feb 25, 2026. link

Thomas S. "Kim Clijsters on Alcaraz and the referee." We Love Tennis, Feb 26, 2026. link

ATP Staff. "2026 Indian Wells tennis prize money." atptour.com, Feb 26, 2026. link

wtatennis.com. "Jimenez Kasintseva overcomes Linette in 3:20 epic." Feb 26, 2026. link

wtatennis.com. "Honoring a legacy: 2026 Tom Perrotta Prize now open." Feb 26, 2026. link

Hypolite, Jules. "Griekspoor downs Mensik to reach Dubai semis." TennisTemple, Feb 26, 2026. link

Tennis World USA. "Merida: Paolini annihilates LL to snap losing streak." Feb 27, 2026. link