DUBAI — Daniil Medvedev is one victory away from repeating a title run for the first time in his career after he punched his ticket to the Dubai final with a 6-4, 6-2 success over top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime on Friday.
Medvedev, a former world number one, boasts 22 career titles but has bizarrely never won the same tournament twice.
The ex-US Open champion has a chance to change that when he takes on Dutch world number 25 Tallon Griekspoor in the final on Saturday in Dubai, where he lifted the trophy in 2023.
“If you give me some fast courts like they were before, maybe I can do something like this, but there aren’t many courts like this on the tour anymore,” said Medvedev, who is through to the 42nd final of his career.
“If I manage to put (on an) even better performance tomorrow, I have a chance to win,” he added.
Griekspoor shocked Russian fifth seed Andrey Rublev 7-5, 7-6 (6) in a match that included controversy.
After saving three break points to hold for 6-5 in the opening set, Griekspoor took an off-court medical timeout for what appeared to be a groin/hamstring injury.
Griekspoor returned several minutes later, broke Rublev’s serve and took the opening set.
The 29-year-old Dutchman was putting on a brilliant serving performance despite his mobility issues and he kept it up in the second set.
The contest turned into an ace-fest and the set fittingly went to a tiebreak.
Rublev squandered a 3-0 lead in the breaker and two set points from 6-4 up as Griekspoor once again found his best tennis.
“I have no idea how I pulled off this one,” said Griekspoor, who produced 19 aces to Rublev’s 20.