Former World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev will meet Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in the ATP 500 final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Saturday, setting up a compelling rematch of last year’s dramatic quarterfinal in Dubai.
Griekspoor battled through visible discomfort to defeat No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev 7-5, 7-6 (6) on Friday night, booking his place in the Championship match despite struggling with mobility after landing awkwardly during the opening set. The Dutchman, ranked World No. 25, delivered 11 aces in a tense first set before requesting a medical timeout at 6-5. Upon resumption, Rublev’s rhythm faltered, and the 2022 Dubai champion dropped serve at a crucial juncture.
The second set mirrored the first in intensity, with both players holding serve through six consecutive service games apiece. In the tiebreak, Rublev served for the set at 6-4, but Griekspoor produced a stunning cross-court forehand winner to turn the tide. Two powerful serves later, he secured match point before Rublev netted a return, prompting the Dutchman to collapse to the court in relief. The victory was witnessed by UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov from the VIP box.
“I have no idea how I won that match, honestly,” Griekspoor said post-match. “I was lucky and unlucky at the same time. I couldn’t really move in game four, but I kept trying, kept hitting my shots, and I got lucky in the end. No idea how I got it over the line. In the second set, I served extremely well and so did he, so I was very lucky in the tiebreak because if this was going to three sets, it would have been extremely hard for me.”
Looking ahead to the final against Medvedev, he added: “It’s not going to be any easier [than last year]. We played a crazy match. I was extremely lucky to beat him in a crazy rollercoaster. He’s been playing some unbelievable tennis. It looks like he’s getting back to his best, which is an extremely high level, so I am going to try to recover as well as possible, do everything I can, and hopefully I can get back out there.”
Earlier in the evening, Medvedev, champion in Dubai in 2023, eased past top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 6-2. The Russian served with precision and controlled rallies from deep, capitalising on key moments, including a decisive break in the 10th game of the opening set. In the second set, he tightened his grip as Auger-Aliassime’s drop-shot strategy lost effectiveness, sealing victory with a clean backhand winner.
“I find it very surprising that I’ve never won somewhere twice because now I, especially in the later part of my career, tend to repeat the same tournaments,” Medvedev said. “I know what tournaments I like, and I just repeat them year in, year out. But I always said, ‘Look, I tried. Tomorrow I’ll try to make it two somewhere. I will not be disappointed if the streak ends. It’s just going to feel great to win the tournament – it’s not going to feel any more special. Just a bit of fun to finally win a second one somewhere.”
When asked why he continues to return to Dubai, the 2020 US Open champion added, “Probably the last three or four times I’ve played here, I’ve played well. Sure, last year I lost in the quarters, but it is still not the first round. It’s a cool tournament because even if you lose the first round, you’re disappointed, but you can spend a week in Dubai and prepare for Indian Wells. The organisation of the tournament is great. I get to spend time with the family before the tournament, which is great as well. I just love it.”
The two players’ only previous meeting in Dubai ended in a three-set thriller, with Griekspoor saving four match points before prevailing. Saturday’s final will be the last before construction begins to expand the 5,000-seat Centre Court by 40 percent, adding further anticipation to what promises to be a high-intensity encounter.
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Tickets remain available with prices starting from Dh65.
