Stefanos Tsitsipas ends 16-month wait for a trophy with hard-fought Gstaad title: “I couldn’t be more blessed”

Sunday, 19 July 2026 at 17:36

Tsitsipas raises his right arm celebrating a victory in Monte Carlo

Stefanos Tsitsipas finally returned to the winner's circle after 16 months, capturing the Swiss Open Gstaad title with a hard-fought 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-3 victory over Belgium's Raphael Collignon. The triumph marked the Greek's 13th ATP title and his first since lifting the Dubai trophy in March 2025.

The former world No. 3 needed more than two hours to overcome the breakthrough finalist, completing a remarkable week in which all four of his last matches went the distance. Having battled through marathon contests against Jerome Kym, Arthur Rinderknech, Aleksandr Shevchenko and now Collignon, Tsitsipas admitted the achievement meant even more because of the physical challenges he faced.

"It's a crazy feeling right now," Tsitsipas said after the victory. "I survived a marathon and it was a long week. I played some crazy matches in the past couple of days. Every single match felt like it was never finished and somehow I managed to convert every single time and get the victory."

The title represents a significant turning point for Tsitsipas after one of the most difficult stretches of his professional career. Once a regular contender at the biggest tournaments, the 27-year-old had seen injuries and inconsistent results cause a dramatic slide down the rankings following his Dubai triumph.

A timely boost after difficult months

His victory in Gstaad came through resilience as much as shot-making. After losing the second-set tiebreak against Collignon, Tsitsipas regained control in the decider with aggressive baseline tennis and a dominant serve to deny the Belgian his maiden ATP title.

Tsitsipas won his first title after 16 months, the longest gap between finals since his first final at the 2018 Barcelona Open.

"Today I couldn't be more blessed, couldn't be more happy. It's been an incredible effort from my side to go out there and do that over and over again. I've dealt with some pain in the past couple of days, so I've had to withstand a lot of different things. The result was obviously the best thing I would have imagined at the beginning of the week."

The championship also ends a remarkable streak in Tsitsipas' career. Since reaching his first ATP final in Barcelona in 2018, he had never gone longer than a year without appearing in a tour-level final. Gstaad became the 31st final of his career, improving his record to 13 titles from 31 championship matches.

Eyes now on the American swing

Beyond the trophy itself, the victory provides a welcome rankings boost. Tsitsipas is projected to climb around 30 places to world No. 55, strengthening his position ahead of the North American hard-court season as he attempts to rebuild momentum for the remainder of 2026.

The Greek confirmed that recovery is now his immediate priority before returning to competition. "I'm going back home. I will need one or two days off. It's been a long week," Tsitsipas said. "It's been a lot of crazy matches and I need some recovery and some rest in order to be ready for the American swing."

"I'm looking forward to trying to do the best possible results in the U.S. swing and in order to do that I'll need to be fresh and prepared for a long few weeks on the road."

After months spent searching for consistency, Tsitsipas heads into the American hard-court swing with renewed confidence—and, for the first time in 16 months, another ATP trophy in his hands.

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Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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