Medvedev Tops Rublev in Dubai Final for 14th Straight Win and 18th Career Title

Daniil Medvedev wrapped up a remarkable 31 st Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships with a dominant display over close friend and defending
champion Andrey Rublev to claim a maiden title 6-2 6-2 on the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium’s storied Centre Court.

Just a week after Barbora Krejcikova produced a brilliant display to dispatch World No.1 Iga Swiatek to take victory in the WTA 1000 tournament, Medvedev delivered a masterful performance to bring the curtain down on a memorable two weeks of tennis in Dubai, which
attracted 90,000 spectators to the storied stadium.

It is a fortnight that has witnessed both Indian tennis legend Sania Mirza and Arab trailblazer Malek Jaziri call time on their careers with emotional ceremonies on Centre Court; Alexander Zverev continue his injury comeback by making his first semi-final since June 2022, Krejcikova bag a first Dubai title, and Novak Djokovic marking a record 378 cumulative
weeks as World No. 1.

And now Medvedev’s magic.

The 2021 US Open Champion came in hot to Dubai this week having won back-to-back ATP Tour titles in Rotterdam and Doha and had dropped just 25 games, without losing a set, en route to Saturday’s final, including a 6-4, 6-4 defeat of World No.1 Djokovic in Friday’s semifinal.

Armed with a 13-game winning streak, Medvedev was arguably slight favorite against defending champion Rublev, No.2 seed this week, who has improved as the tournament has developed. Rublev, seeking to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2015 to win back-to-back titles, had brushed off another long-term friend in Zverev in straight sets in the
semi-finals, but could not find a way past Medvedev, who takes a 5-2 lead in their head-to-head battles.

Rublev saved one break point in the opening game but couldn’t save the second as a backhand into the net handed Medvedev an early lead. From that point on the World No.8 always seemed in control, with opponent Rublev cutting a frustrated figure. He broke serve again in game eight to take the opening set 6-2.

As Rublev appeared to let his frustration get the better of him, Medvedev continued to press with his deceptive speed, whipped groundstrokes, and serve return capabilities and he struck a decisive break in game five, then broke again in game seven. Rublev saved one match point at 40-0 in game eight, but Medvedev powered down another serve to seal a
comfortable 6-2, 6-2 victory for his first Dubai title.

Medvedev’s fabulous February sees him become the third player in as many seasons to win three tournaments in successive weeks, joining Felix Auger-Aliassime (October 2022) and Casper Ruud (July 2021), and he was thankful to get his hands on the iconic Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships dhow trophy, awarded to the winner of this ATP 500 event.