Top billing, an ice-cold masterclass
The air in Dubai smelled like a proper test.
A semi against the top seed. An opponent buzzing with confidence. A season still being built.
And yet on court one thing took over: control.
Daniil Medvedev smothered Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2. Clean, methodical, almost clinical.
Dialled In 💪
Medvedev puts on a clinic to defeat FAA 6-4 6-2 and advance to the Dubai final#DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/28oKqqUKbC
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 27, 2026
17 winners. 7 aces. 88% of points won on his first serve. When Medvedev’s serve fires like that, everything else falls into place.
The first Top-10 scalp of the year, finally
He needed a statement in 2026. He got one.
This is Medvedev’s first win this season over a Top-10 player. And it wasn’t against a patsy. Auger-Aliassime arrived with a Montpellier title and a Rotterdam final. Confidence high. Aggressive tennis. Momentum humming.
But in Dubai the Canadian never found an answer. No break points. He stood too far back on returns, too often forced into playing one extra ball. Against Medvedev, that extra ball costs.
Medvedev dictated the tempo. Mixed the heights. Stretched rallies when he wanted to. Then hit the gas at the right moments.
An authoritative performance.
42nd final, and a chance for a rare repeat
With this win, Medvedev reaches his second final of the season after Brisbane. The 42nd of his career.
And that’s not a small detail. A victory in the final would make him the first player to lift this trophy twice since his 2023 triumph. A repeat would start to make Dubai feel like home turf.
One obstacle remains: the winner of Andrey Rublev vs Tallon Griekspoor.
Doesn’t matter who turns up.
If Medvedev serves like he did on Friday and keeps imposing this pace, he’ll go into the final as favourite.
More importantly, he sent a message.
Daniil 2026 might finally be waking up.
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