Tabilo beats Musetti to win Chengdu Open after saving match points

Qualifier Alejandro Tabilo rallied from the brink to beat top seed Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) on Tuesday to claim the Chengdu Open title, handing the Italian his fifth consecutive defeat in an ATP final. The Chilean, ranked 112th coming into the event, saved two championship points in the deciding set and sealed his third career ATP Tour trophy in a dramatic finish in Chengdu, China.

Tabilo, who fought through qualifying after a recent wrist injury, broke Musetti early in the first set and closed it out before Musetti responded emphatically in the second. The decider went the distance, culminating in a tense tiebreak in which Tabilo mounted a late comeback to prevail. After the match Tabilo said he was relieved and proud of his team, adding, "I was so happy to make those first serves on match points. I just had to stay there mentally and physically."

Musetti, the world number nine and top seed, was visibly emotional after the defeat and left the court in tears, his head buried in a towel. The 23-year-old Italian has not won a title since Naples in October 2022 and has now lost five straight finals on the ATP Tour. "It was a tough night for me, I guess. Probably was not...