DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Daniil Medvedev ended Novak Djokovic´s 20-match winning streak by beating the world´s top-ranked player 6-4, 6-4 to reach the final at the Dubai Open Championships.
The third-seeded Medvedev will face defending champion Andrey Rublev in an all-Russian final that could have political overtones after Rublev reiterated his call for peace.
Medvedev picked up trophies in Rotterdam and Doha before coming to Dubai and beating Djokovic to extend his winning streak to 13 matches, the second longest of his career.
The former No. 1 player broke Djokovic twice in the first set and again to open the second, eventually closing it out on his first match point.
“When you play against Novak you just have to play your best, kind of hope that he doesn´t play his best,” Medvedev said according to AP.
“I managed to play a higher level than him today. In the second set, I didn´t face one break point but there were so many 30-30, deuce (games). I managed to keep composed.”
Medvedev hadn’t beaten Djokovic since the 2021 US Open final for his first – and only – major title. That win denied Djokovic the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men´s singles since 1969. Djokovic then won their next four meetings.
Djokovic was competing in his first event since winning the Australian Open for his record-equaling 22nd Grand Slam singles title.
He hadn´t lost since November when he dropped the Paris Masters final to Holger Rune.
