One of the most unlikely champions in the history of the men’s ASB Classic is returning for another tilt at the tennis crown.
Chilean Alejandro Tabilo has confirmed he will be back in 2025, after his career-defining triumph this year. When Tabilo turned up in Auckland in early January, hewasn’t mentioned among any of the contenders, not even on the long list. Then ranked world No 82, he was an unknown to all but the most fanatical tennis purists after eight years on tour where he had yet to crack the top 50.
That all changed in a magical week on the Stanley St courts, as he progressed through qualifying all the way to the final, then took out the decider. The victory was the spark for a remarkable 2024 season. He reached two more finals – winning another title in Mallorca – and made the third round at Wimbledon.
Perhaps most noticeably, he shocked then world No 1 Novak Djokovic at the Rome Masters, part of an ascent that saw him reach No 19 on the ATP ladder. He has also banked $2.36 million in prize money so far this year, after earning $2.14m across his eight previous seasons, so has understandably fond memories of his experience here.
“It was my first title. It was unbelievable. It was an unreal week and I was just so happy to get my first win in Auckland,” said Tabilo. “What pleased me most since that win is just the consistency I have had this whole year. More than the wins is just being able to stay in the high ranking and keep going with these guys head-to-head. Obviously the win [over] Djokovic was surreal and gave me the confidence that I can compete with those guys.”
Tabilo’s progress was another reminder of the sliding doors nature of tennis, where one good week – or special result – can change the destiny of a player.
Alejandro Tabilo won the ASB Classic in 2024.
“Alejandro is one of the great stories on the ATP Tour in 2024, and it is a thrill that we were able to provide the platform to springboard his career,” said ASB Classic tournament director Nicolas Lamperin.
“While we love to bring top names to Auckland, all of the players who line up at the ASB Classic are world-class and all have the capability to progress up the rankings. Many, like Tabilo, are hoping for that one big result that can provide the platform for them to begin to realise their potential.”
Tabilo dropped only one set on the way to the title. After getting through qualifying, there were two solid wins to reach the last eight, where he received a walkover over an injured Cameron Norrie. What came next was arguably the best – as he dispatched highly rated French youngster and then world No 35 Arthur Fils before a straight sets win over veteran Japanese player Taro Daniel in the final.
Following his Auckland success, he went on to finish runner-up in Santiago, then the round of 32 at the Monte Carlo Masters 1000. In a hot run of three tournaments, Tabilo made the semifinal in Bucharest, won an ATP Challenger in France and was in the last four in Rome, beaten by world No 2 Alexander Zverev in the semifinal after downing Djokovic earlier in that week. There was another highlight last month, as he competed in the Laver Cup for the World team.
Tabilo’s career is a reward for perseverance, with incremental gains before his big leap. He was No 213 at the start of 2019, No 169 at the beginning of 2020 and reached the top 100 in 2022. He is currently ranked No 22 and will arrive in Auckland next year with a different mindset.
“It is nice to come back to as the defending champion, with a bit more pressure but I want to do the best I can and try to defend that title,” said the 27-year-old.
Further names for the men’s event will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns.
