Final Preview: 3rd Ons Jabeur Tennis Academy Masters O35, Dubai — Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Tournament Overview

Event: 3rd Ons Jabeur Tennis Academy Masters O35 (Seniors 35+)
City: Dubai, UAE
Dates: April 17–26, 2026
Surface: Hard
Official Ball: Wilson
Main Draw Size: 16 | Qualifying: 8
Entry Fee: 210
Tournament Link: uaetennis.ae — Event Page

The Dubai leg of the Seniors 35+ calendar has delivered a compelling week of tennis. The draw has now produced a high-quality final set for this stage of the competition, featuring the top-ranked Suramya Pandey and the in-form Cristian Costin. With brisk conditions and true-bouncing hard courts, first-strike tennis and clean patterns behind the serve and forehand have been consistently rewarded.

Road to the Final

Top Half: Suramya Pandey (Rank 1)

• R16: Bye
• Quarterfinal: def. Maikel Ninaber 4-6, 6-1, 11-9 (match tie-break)
• Semifinal: def. Ahmed Abdellatif 6-2, 6-0

Summary: After surviving a tiebreak thriller in the quarters, Pandey raised his baseline weight and return depth in the semifinal, producing a commanding straight-sets win and signaling excellent late-tournament form.

Bottom Half: Cristian Costin (Rank 4)

• R16: def. Laurant Lapietra 6-0, 6-1
• Quarterfinal: def. Nima Teimourzadeh Khoei 6-0, 6-2
• Semifinal: def. Omar Abou Zeid 3-6, 6-2, 10-6 (match tie-break)

Summary: Costin blitzed through the early rounds behind assertive serving and early ball striking, then showed resilience in the semifinal by flipping the momentum with better length on the backhand and more committed court positioning.

Key Storylines

• Serve +1 Advantage: Both finalists thrive on taking the first forehand early. The player who controls the middle third of the court behind the serve should dictate rallies.
• Return Depth: Pandey’s improved second-serve return placement was pivotal in the semifinal; replicating that depth will be essential against Costin’s proactive starts to points.
• Match Tie-Break Readiness: With multiple 10-point breakers already this week, mental clarity and percentage patterns at 7–7 and beyond could decide the trophy.

Form Guide and Notable Results

Tactical Keys

1. Protect second serves by varying body and backhand targets to disrupt the returner’s rhythm.
2. Use crosscourt-to-down-the-line forehand change-ups after establishing depth to the backhand corner.
3. Maintain compact backswings on low skidding hard-court exchanges to keep contact clean under pressure.

Today’s Order of Play — Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Note: Times and courts are subject to on-site updates. For latest scheduling, consult the official tournament page.

How to Follow

• Live updates and draws: uaetennis.ae
• On-site notices at the tournament desk (schedule changes may occur).

Bottom line: With both finalists displaying contrasting routes — Pandey’s late-round surge against Costin’s early dominance and semifinal grit — Wednesday’s showdown in Dubai promises high-quality first-strike tennis and finely balanced margins.