Tsitsipas Ends 16-Month Drought with Gstaad Title

Stefanos Tsitsipas ended a 16-month wait for a title by claiming the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad on Sunday, defeating Belgian qualifier Raphaël Collignon 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-3. The win at the 2026 Gstaad Open is the Greek's first ATP trophy since early 2025 and marks a significant step in his return to the sport's upper tier.

In a final that threatened to slip away from him midway through, Tsitsipas demonstrated the resilience that has defined his best tennis. He cruised through the opening set 6-4 before finding himself embroiled in a tight second-set tiebreak. Collignon edged it 7-3, briefly lifting the crowd's hopes of a stunning upset from the Belgian qualifier. In the deciding set, Tsitsipas rediscovered his penetrating groundstrokes and served with authority to close out the match 6-3 and claim the title.

Collignon's Breakthrough Week Ends at the Final Hurdle

The 25-year-old from Liège produced the performance of his career to reach the final. He dispatched several higher-ranked opponents through the draw, including a composed quarter-final win over French seed Valentin Vacherot, before pulling off a dramatic semi-final victory over Argentine third seed Juan Manuel Cerundolo. Down a set and in trouble, Collignon battled back to win 1-6, 7-6(5), 7-5 and book a place in his first ATP final. His ability to stay composed under pressure throughout the week was consistent and pointed to a serious clay-court talent with room to grow.

For Tsitsipas, the road to Sunday's title also required a demanding semi-final against Aleksandr Shevchenko, which he navigated 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. The three-set nature of that match tested his fitness heading into finals day, but the Greek found an extra gear when it mattered most.

Breaking the Title Drought

Tsitsipas has had a difficult stretch since his peak years in the early 2020s, when he was a fixture in Grand Slam semi-finals and ranked comfortably inside the world's top five. The Gstaad victory is expected to lift him back to around world No. 51 in the PIF ATP Rankings — a meaningful step toward the top 50 he once called home. At one point earlier this year, the Greek had slipped outside the top 60, making Sunday's result all the more significant as a statement of intent.

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Speaking on court after the trophy presentation, Tsitsipas described the week as one in which he felt free with his racquet and trusted his instincts at key moments. That freedom was visible in the way he handled Collignon's challenge in the third set, attacking second serves and closing out with efficient tennis rather than nervy scrambling.

Clay Swing Continues

The European clay swing moves forward with the ATP 250 event in Kitzbühel already in its second rounds this week. The hard-court season — culminating at the US Open — is still weeks away, giving players further opportunities to build form and confidence on the red dirt. For Tsitsipas, the Swiss Alps have provided the backdrop to a revival that his supporters have been waiting for. The next challenge will be sustaining it.