DUBAI: Tallon Griekspoor will face former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev in the men’s singles final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships after both players won their semifinals on Friday at the ATP 500 event. Griekspoor, ranked 25th, reached his first Dubai final by beating fifth seed Andrey Rublev 7-5, 7-6(6). Medvedev, the third seed and world No. 11, advanced with a 6-4, 6-2 win over top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Griekspoor’s victory over Rublev lasted about one hour and 45 minutes and included a second-set tiebreak in which the Dutchman saved two set points at 4-6. He also held off all six break points he faced in the match. Griekspoor received medical attention for a hamstring issue during the semifinal but completed the contest in straight sets. The result was his first career win over Rublev after three previous defeats.
Medvedev’s semifinal was decided in about 1 hour and 24 minutes as he controlled play from the baseline and finished without facing a break point. He won 88% of his first-serve points and converted key chances late in the opening set before pulling away in the second. The victory improved his head-to-head record against Auger-Aliassime to 8-2. Medvedev reached the final after also defeating Shang Juncheng, Stan Wawrinka and Jenson Brooksby in straight sets earlier in the week.
Semifinal paths
Griekspoor’s run to the title match featured wins over second seed Alexander Bublik and Jakub Mensik, giving him three consecutive victories against Top 20 opponents for the first time in his career. The 29-year-old is into the sixth tour-level final of his career and his first since winning the Mallorca title last June. He has three ATP Tour titles, all at ATP 250 level, and entered Dubai with a 3-2 record in finals.
Medvedev is a past champion in Dubai, having won the tournament in 2023, and he arrived at this year’s event with 22 tour-level titles. Those 22 titles have come at 22 different tournaments, a record that underscores how rarely he has repeated success at the same venue. Earlier this season, Medvedev won the Brisbane title, adding to his hard-court credentials ahead of his return to the Middle East swing. In Dubai, he has moved through the draw without dropping a set.
Final on Centre Court
Saturday’s championship match is scheduled for the tournament’s closing night session on Centre Court, not before 7 p.m. local time, following the doubles final. The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is held on outdoor hard courts at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium. Tournament organizers list the 2026 men’s event as the 34th edition of the ATP tournament, with the men’s draw running from Feb. 23 to Feb. 28.
Griekspoor and Medvedev have met in Dubai before, with Griekspoor defeating Medvedev in three sets in last year’s tournament on the way to the semifinals. Saturday’s meeting will determine the men’s singles champion for 2026, with Griekspoor seeking his first ATP 500 title and Medvedev aiming to add another Dubai trophy to his resume at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium – By Content Syndication Services.