Preview Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2026 Semi-Finals | Medvedev faces Auger-Aliassime as Rublev meets Griekspoor

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships (ATP 500) has its semi-final line-up locked in on Friday, 27 February 2026, with four contrasting profiles still standing in the UAE. The top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime continues a high-momentum run, while Daniil Medvedev is looking increasingly settled in conditions that have historically rewarded his depth and return game.

On the other side of the draw, Andrey Rublev returns to the last four in Dubai as the 2022 champion, and he will face a Tallon Griekspoor who has reshaped the week with a statement upset and a composed three-set quarter-final win.

This semi-final pairs two players arriving with authority, but via different kinds of control. Medvedev (ranked No. 11 in the entry list) produced the cleanest quarter-final of the tournament, dismissing Jenson Brooksby 6-2, 6-1 in under an hour. His week has been built around quick scoreboard separation: he backed up earlier straight-sets wins over Juncheng Shang (6-1, 6-3) and Stan Wawrinka (6-2, 6-3) with a performance that never gave Brooksby a break-point look.

Auger-Aliassime (ranked No. 8 on the entry list) has been forced into more problem-solving, but the end result has been the same: no sets dropped. He opened with Zhizhen Zhang 6-3, 7-6(4), then handled Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4, 6-4, before edging Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 7-6(2) in the quarter-finals—closing with consecutive aces and leaning heavily on a serve that has consistently protected him when the match tightens.

He has been playing as the top seed at an event above ATP 250 level for the first time and has shown “little sign of nerves,” while also confirming he saved both break points he faced against Lehecka.

Tactically, this matchup often comes down to whether Auger-Aliassime can keep points short enough to prevent Medvedev from building his rhythm on return and in extended backhand exchanges.

The head-to-head context leans toward the Russian: ATP lists Medvedev leading 7-2 in their series, although Auger-Aliassime has closed the gap after losing the first seven meetings and winning the last two. With the Canadian’s current momentum—he’s now won 11 of his last 12 matches —Dubai represents another opportunity to validate that run against one of the tour’s most reliable hard-court patterns.

Rublev (ranked No. 19 on the entry list) is back in familiar territory at a venue where his ball-striking has translated into deep runs before, including the 2022 title. His route to the semi-finals has been the most turbulent among the four remaining: after beating Valentin Royer 6-3, 6-4, he was pushed hard by Ugo Humbert but came through 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3, before controlling the quarter-final against Arthur Rinderknech 6-2, 6-4 despite a late wobble when serving for the match.

Griekspoor (ranked No. 26 on the entry list) has arguably produced the week’s most significant shift in the draw. He started by beating Otto Virtanen 6-3, 6-4, then stunned second seed Alexander Bublik 6-3, 7-6(4). He followed it with a three-set quarter-final win over Jakub Mensik 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, pulling away late as the Czech tightened under pressure in the decider.

From a matchup perspective, Rublev will want a high-tempo baseline rhythm—early forehand pressure and quick damage on short balls—while Griekspoor’s best route is to keep his first delivery strong, absorb the first wave, and force Rublev to hit “one more” ball repeatedly in neutral patterns.

The rivalry context gives Rublev an edge: they have met three times and Rublev has won all three. But Dubai’s version of Griekspoor is arriving with confidence after taking out the No. 2 seed and showing he can manage momentum swings over three sets—exactly the kind of proof point required before challenging a former champion in a semi-final.

Rublev leads 3-0 in their previous meetings, which makes Griekspoor’s Dubai run even more intriguing—he has already shifted the tone of his week with the Bublik and Mensik upsets, and another fast start could be essential to keeping Rublev from settling into rhythm.