Good friends and fellow Russians Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev are on their way to the final in Dubai. Standing in their way in Friday’s semifinals, however, are Felix Auger-Aliassime and Tallon Griekspoor.
(1) Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. (3) Daniil Medvedev
Auger-Aliassime and Medvedev will be clashing for the 10th time in their careers when they meet in the semi-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Friday. Medvedev leads the head-to-head series 7-2, but that doesn’t really tell the story at the moment. Since losing their first seven matches, Auger-Aliassime won twice in a row – 6-3, 7-6(5) at the 2024 Paris Olympics and to retire in the 2025 Doha quarterfinals after taking the first set 6-3.
The eighth-ranked Canadian is advancing in 2026. He is 12-3 with a title in Montpellier, a runner-up finish in Rotterdam, and straight wins in Dubai over Zhizhen Zhang, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, and Jiri Lehecka. Although Medvedev is also 12-3 this season, he still has questions to answer following a difficult 2025 campaign. The 11th-ranked Russian has not beaten anyone ranked higher than 47 since last month’s Brisbane title and has not lost in the top 30 since getting the better of Alex de Minaur in the Shanghai quarterfinals last season. Look for Auger-Aliassime to extend his record win streak to three.
Select: Auger-Aliassime in 3
(5) Andrey Rublev vs. Tallon Griekspoor
A trip back to Dubai seems to be just what the doctor ordered in Griekspoor. The 25th-ranked Dutchman was an abysmal 3-6 in 2026 before this week, but is turning things around with wins over Otto Virtanen, Alexander Bublik and Jakub Mensik. Success in Dubai is nothing new for Griekspoor, who also reached the semi-finals last year after knocking out Medvedev and Ugo Humbert.
Next up for the 29-year-old on Friday is a fourth game against Rublev, who took the series 3-0. The current world No. 18 won a third tiebreaker at the 2023 Doha event, in three sets on the grass at Halle that summer, and 6-2, 6-4 on the red wall of Madrid in 2024. Rublev has won all over the place, and there’s no reason to think he won’t do the same on Friday based on how well he’s playing. The Russian knocked out Humbert, Valentin Royer, and Arthur Rinderknech, improving to 6-1 in his last seven matches with a loss to Doha champion Carlos Alcaraz this time.
Select: Rublev in 3
