Daniil Medvedev found his form following an early Australian Open loss, winning three titles within three weeks and returning to where he belonged. Medvedev chased the third consecutive crown in Dubai with the Rotterdam and Doha trophies safely in his hands. The Russian took down Novak Djokovic in the semi-final and battled against his compatriot and friend Andrey Rublev in the title clash. Daniil scored a commanding 6-2, 6-2 triumph in 68 minutes, lifting his 18th ATP title and delivering his 14th win in a row. It was their seventh duel on the Tour, and the older Russian celebrated his fifth victory, the first in over two years. Daniil served well, firing nine aces and dropping eight points behind the initial shot. He never faced a break point, mounting the pressure on Andrey. The younger Russian cracked under pressure, losing half of the points in his games and getting broken four times from seven chances offered to Daniil. An in-form Russian built a colossal advantage in the shortest and mid-range rallies, taming his strokes nicely and sailing over the top in under 70 minutes.
Daniil Medvedev claimed his third consecutive title in Dubai.
Andrey squandered a game point in the encounter’s first game, and Daniil created a break chance with a smash winner. Rublev denied it with a volley winner but faced the second, netting a backhand and experiencing an early setback. Medvedev played well behind the initial shot, landing a forehand down the line winner in the fourth game and forging a 3-1 advantage. Rublev struggled behind the initial shot again in game five, facing two break points and defending them, remaining within one break deficit. Daniil left those chances behind and grabbed the sixth game with a service winner, opening a 4-2 advantage. Medvedev kept the pressure on the other side, creating a break chance in game seven and seizing it after Rublev’s loose backhand to open a 5-2 lead. Daniil served for the opener in game eight and wrapped it up at love with an unreturned serve for 6-2 after 36 minutes.
Rublev stayed in touch early in the second set, with a game point that could have sent him 3-2 in front. Medvedev prolonged the game and painted a forehand crosscourt winner for a break, moving closer to the finish line. Daniil cemented the advantage with an ace in game six, moving two games away from the trophy. Andrey lost the ground and netted a forehand in the seventh game, offering his compatriot two break points. Medvedev seized the first after Rublev’s routine forehand error, opening a 5-2 lead and serving for the title against a frustrated rival. Daniil landed an ace for three match points, clinching the second with a powerful serve and celebrating his third ATP title within as many weeks.