Paul conquers Giron in all-American final 

Paul prevails 7-6, 5-7, 6-3 to win Dallas Open

Tommy Paul is on a roll. The NJ native was looking for his second career title (Stockholm 2021) on home soil in Dallas, Texas. He progressed to the final of this ATP 250 event without the loss of a set. The twenty-six-year-old achieved a career-high ranking of #12 last fall and is currently #15.

At the 2023 Australian Open, he reached the semis having beaten fellow American, Ben Shelton in five in the quarters. In the penultimate round in Dallas, he avenged two consecutive losses last fall to the young American (Tokyo & US Open) coasting to a straight sets victory with exemplary serving and returning.

Marcos Giron four years older, was born and continues to reside in Thousand Oaks, California. The 2014 NCAA champion while attending UCLA, is ranked #67 and reached a career-high ranking of #49 in May of 2022. En route to the title match, he dispatched in straight sets three higher-ranked players including the #1 seed and world #14, Frances Tiafoe. 

This was their third tour-level meeting having split the previous two both on outdoor hard. Paul won the toss and elected to receive. Giron seeking his first tour-level title, made 4/4 first serves and held at love while Paul hit three consecutive winners including an ace to hold at love to level. 

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Giron missed 3/8 first serves and dumped serve for the first time this event following two forehands and two backhand errors. The #2 seed opened the fourth with two consecutive winners and consolidated the break at love. 

Giron hit a blistering backhand crosscourt and held easily to 15 for 2-3 while Paul struggled. He missed 5/10 first serves, faced two deuce and four break points, and dropped serve when he netted a backhand. 

Giron serving with new balls, made 5/6 serves and held to 30 for 4-3 while Paul opened with an ace and held at love with an impressive inside-in forehand.

Both pummeled the ball from the back and forecourt and utilized their athleticism and explosive movement to dictate play. Giron won an extraordinary 29-shot rally extracting a forehand error and led 5-4 after another remarkable crosscourt forehand.  

Paul serving to stay in the set, opened with an ace out wide and held to 15 to level while Giron battled to hold from deuce having let slip a 40-15 lead. While Paul’s running forehand down the line repeatedly paid dividends, Giron’s crosscourt backhand gave it a run for the money.

The two frequently exchanged blows from the baseline, and it was usually Paul who attempted to redirect the rally. Paul serving to stay in the set and force the breaker, hit two winners, the last a backhand volley on game point. 

Giron opened the breaker with an incredible inside-out forehand but soon faced four set points after Paul unfurled another stunning, running forehand down the line. Paul missed wide with the forehand but still had three set points. Giron conceded the breaker and set when his running forehand found the net.

Paul served first in the second and with three groundstroke winners, held to 30 while Giron struck his first ace and double fault yet held to level. Paul hit his fourth ace and held to 30 while Giron serving with new balls, held to level despite missing 4/6 first serves.

Paul missed 3/4 first serves but with another ace up the tee, held at love for 3-2. Giron playing with conviction and controlled aggression returned the favor, holding at love for parity. 

Paul watched Giron unleash a forehand down the line but with four consecutive first serves, held to 30 for 4-3. Giron made 5/5 first serves and with another winning forehand, held to 15 for 4-4.

Paul donated multiple unforced errors and faced six deuce and two break points but managed to hold for 5-4. Giron serving to stay in the match hit three magnificent winners and leveled.

Paul opened the eleventh with two consecutive mishit forehands and dropped serve with another. Giron made clear his intentions, consolidating the break, and set at love.

It would appear that the momentum had irretrievably shifted to Giron, but Paul came out swinging, holding to love with his sixth ace. Giron blinked first, gifting three unforced errors including his third double fault, and dumped serve with a netted forehand.  

Paul made 5/6 first serves and with a forehand volley winner, consolidated the break for 3-0. Giron missed 3/5 first serves but with pace and depth from the baseline, held to 15 for 1-3. 

Paul continued to serve well making 6/6 first serves including his 7th ace on game point while Giron admirably regrouped, holding to 30 for 2-4. Paul made 4/5 first serves and held to 15 for 5-2, just four points from raising the trophy.

Giron serving to stay in the match faced deuce but held when Paul’s return went wide. Paul opened the ninth with two consecutive winners and reached triple match point. Giron denied the first with an astonishing crosscourt forehand but conceded the game, set, and match with a netted forehand. 

It was an exceptionally high-octane battle between two worthy combatants. The quality of play was outstanding and sustained for two and a half hours. Paul secured his second tour-level trophy and first on home soil.

It was a well-deserved victory in which he struck seven aces, zero double faults, and won 71% of first and 66% of second serve points. He hit thirty winners to ten unforced errors and converted both break point opportunities.