[TORONTO, ON] June 15, 2025 – Canada’s Gabriel Diallo (Montreal, QC) claimed his first ATP Tour title, defeating Belgium’s Zizou Bergs 7-5, 7-6(8) in the final of the 250-level Libema Open on Sunday.
He becomes the fourth Canadian to win an ATP singles crown this century, joining Milos Raonic (Thornhill, ON), Félix Auger-Aliassime (Montreal, QC), and Denis Shapovalov (Richmond Hill, ON). Playing in his second ATP Tour final after finishing as runner-up at the 2024 Almaty Open, Diallo’s run included wins over three Top 50 players: Australia’s Jordan Thompson (No. 37), Karen Khachanov (No. 24), and Frenchman Ugo Humbert (No. 20). By defeating Bergs, the Montrealer guaranteed his own spot inside the Top 50 once the rankings update on Monday.
The first set of Sunday’s championship match was extremely tight, and the only break point opportunities came in the 11th and 12th games. Diallo managed to fend off the two he faced, but Bergs was unable to follow suit as he sent his backhand long on set point, part of his 23 unforced errors of the afternoon, to give the Diallo the first set.
The second set unfolded in a similar way, with both players easily holding their service games before heading to a tiebreak. Diallo had the ideal start, getting the early mini-break, but Bergs rallied to eventually get set point chances up 6-4. The tenacious Diallo managed to fend off both set points and gave himself an opportunity to win the match at 9-8. After a lengthy rally, the 23-year-old powered a backhand winner, his 26th winner of the match, to clinch his first-ever ATP title.
“It’s something that you dream of for your whole life, to win an ATP Tour title,” Diallo said in his postmatch interview. “It means the world to me. I’m happy, not only for myself, but for my whole team.”
Rebecca Marino comes close in Ilkley
Elsewhere, Rebecca Marino (Vancouver, BC) was playing in the final of the Lexus Ilkley Open. In the quarter-finals of the WTA 125 event, the 34-year-old eliminated top-seeded Alexandra Eala of the Philippines, before beating Celine Naef of Switzerland in the semi-finals. In the championship match, Marino fell to rising American star Iva Jovic 6-1, 6-3.
Thanks to an excellent week in Ilkley, Marino should re-enter the Top 100 on Monday.
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