The Abierto Mexicano Telcel, also known as the Mexican Open, is a prominent ATP 500 tournament on hard courts, serving as a key event in the Latin American swing following the Australian Open and Middle East tournaments. The 2026 edition is the 33rd for the men’s event (established in 1993) and runs concurrently with a WTA 1000 women’s tournament, attracting top talent despite a late-February slot that often sees fatigue from the Doha/Rio events. With a prize money of approximately $2.2 million (based on 2025 figures, expected to rise slightly) and 500 ATP ranking points for the winner, it’s a critical stop for players building toward Indian Wells. The hard courts favor big servers and baseline grinders, with night sessions amplifying the humid, sea-level conditions that can lead to endurance tests. Defending champion Tomas Machac (2025 winner) is not confirmed in the entry list, opening the door for top seeds like Alexander Zverev. The tournament has faced criticism for its scheduling and player withdrawals, but the 2026 field remains strong despite injuries.
Venue Location
Arena GNP Seguros, Boulevard de las Naciones & Paseo de los Manglares, Riviera Diamante, Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico. This outdoor hard-court complex, opened in 2022, features a main stadium with 10,200 seats, a 2,100-seat Grandstand Caliente MX, and Court 1 with 1,500 seats. Located in the exclusive Punta Diamante area near Acapulco International Airport, the venue offers sea breezes but high humidity (often 70-80%), which can affect ball bounce and player stamina. The courts are Plexicushion hard, playing medium-fast with a slight grip, similar to the Australian Open surface. Doors open two hours before the first match; the site is accessible via Boulevard de las Naciones.
Starting Date and Time
The men’s ATP 500 main draw starts Monday, February 23, 2026, and concludes with the singles final on Saturday, February 28, 2026, not before 7:00 PM local time (CST, GMT-6; 8:00 PM ET). Qualifying rounds begin Saturday, February 21, at 5:00 PM local, continuing Sunday, February 22, at 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM. Main draw sessions typically feature day matches from 5:00 PM and night sessions from 7:00 PM or 8:00 PM local daily, with doubles final on Saturday at 6:30 PM. The draw ceremony is Saturday, February 21, at 3:00 PM local. The women’s WTA 1000 runs February 15-21, with the men’s event following seamlessly. Total duration: One week for main draw, with 32 singles players (byes for top 8 seeds) and 16 doubles teams.
Injury Report
The 2026 Abierto Mexicano Telcel has seen several high-profile withdrawals due to injuries, impacting the field as of February 20. Key updates for the men’s ATP 500:
- Ben Shelton (USA, #7 Seed): Withdrew due to quadriceps discomfort experienced during the Dallas Open in early February. After medical review, he prioritized recovery; no surgery needed, but expected back for Indian Wells. This opens a spot for a lucky loser or alternate.
- Lorenzo Musetti (ITA, #5 Seed): Withdrew with an ongoing psoas muscle injury sustained at the Australian Open in January 2026. Forced retirement from his Melbourne quarter-final; still recovering, with a return targeted for Indian Wells. This further thins the top half of the draw.
- Alexander Zverev (GER, #3 Seed): Playing his first match since an ankle injury at the Australian Open in January 2026. No withdrawal, but monitored closely; full practice sessions reported, but potential for limited mobility in long rallies.
- Other Notables: Casper Ruud (NOR, #13) is fit after a minor back issue in Doha; Alex de Minaur (AUS, #6) cleared post-Rotterdam fatigue. No major issues for Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP, #14) or Flavio Cobolli (ITA, #22). The women’s event (prior week) saw withdrawals like Elena Rybakina (illness during tournament) and Iga Swiatek (schedule), but men’s field has only two top-10 pullouts so far. Overall, the tournament has 4-6 withdrawals, lower than Dubai’s 12, but injuries remain a concern amid the dense calendar.
Key
Player Matchups
The main draw was not finalized as of February 20 (ceremony on February 21), but based on projected seeding and entry list, here are key potential matchups for the men’s ATP 500 (32 singles players, top 8 seeded with byes). Seeds: (1) Alexander Zverev, (2) Alex de Minaur, (3) Casper Ruud, (4) Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, (5) Lorenzo Musetti (withdrew, replaced by alternate), (6) Flavio Cobolli, (7) Grigor Dimitrov, (8) Frances Tiafoe. Wild cards include Sumit Nagal (IND) and others TBD. Analyses focus on H2H, styles, and court fit.
- Alexander Zverev (#1 Seed) vs. Potential Quarterfinal: Flavio Cobolli (#6 Seed): Zverev’s big serve (aces leader in early 2026) vs. Cobolli’s baseline speed. H2H: Zverev leads 2-0 (both 2025 hard-court wins). Zverev’s ankle recovery could be tested in rallies; Cobolli’s recent Doha QF shows form, but Zverev’s experience (2021 Acapulco champ) favors him.
- Alex de Minaur (#2 Seed) vs. Potential Semifinal: Casper Ruud (#3 Seed): De Minaur’s speed and return game vs. Ruud’s power. H2H: Tied 2-2, with de Minaur winning their last (Rotterdam 2026 final). De Minaur’s 2025 Acapulco title defense adds motivation; Ruud’s back issue resolved, but hard courts not his best (clay specialist).
- Grigor Dimitrov (#7 Seed) vs. Potential Early Upset: Frances Tiafoe (#8 Seed): Dimitrov’s one-handed backhand elegance vs. Tiafoe’s athleticism. H2H: Dimitrov leads 4-1. Both in good form (Dimitrov Doha semis); Tiafoe’s US Open 2025 shoulder injury healed, but Dimitrov’s consistency edges.
- Wildcard Watch: Sumit Nagal vs. Qualifier/Opener: Nagal’s grinding style could upset a fatigued seed; recent Indian Challenger wins boost confidence.
Doubles features pairs like Jamie Murray/Adam Pavlasek; potential matchups TBD post-draw.
Recent Form
- Alexander Zverev: 8-3 in 2026; Australian Open QF (ankle injury retirement); skipped Doha/Rio for recovery. Strong hard-court player (85% win rate in 2025); serving at 88% hold.
- Alex de Minaur: 12-2; Won Rotterdam ATP 500 (February 2026), defeating Tsitsipas in final; Doha QF. Speed and endurance shine (11-1 in three-setters).
- Casper Ruud: 9-4; Doha semis; back issue in early February resolved. Hard-court improvement (2025 win rate 65% up from 55%).
- Alejandro Davidovich Fokina: 7-5; Doha QF; consistent but error-prone (25 UEs average).
- Flavio Cobolli: 10-4; Doha final (loss to de Minaur); breakout form with improved serve.
- Grigor Dimitrov: 8-5; Doha semis; veteran steadiness.
- Frances Tiafoe: 6-6; Doha early exit; US Open 2025 shoulder recovery complete, but form dip. Other: Sumit Nagal (Challenger wins in India, February 2026).
Tournament History
Founded in 1993 as an ATP 250 on clay in Mexico City, it moved to Acapulco in 2001 and upgraded to ATP 500 in 2014, switching to hard courts. Past winners include Rafael Nadal (4 titles, most all-time), David Ferrer (4), and recent: Tomas Machac (2025), Alex de Minaur (2023-2024), Stefanos Tsitsipas (2021). The event offers $2,206,080 in prize money (2025; 2026 expected similar) and has a history of upsets (e.g., Machac as #93 in 2025). Venue shifted to Arena GNP Seguros in 2022 from Hotel Princess Mundo Imperial. Known for humid night matches and celebrity attendees, it has seen controversies like player boycotts in 2017 over safety. Total entries: 32 singles, 16 doubles.
