DUBAI – Former world No 1 Daniil Medvedev crashed out of the Dubai Tennis Championships, squandering four match points before losing a bad-tempered quarter-final to Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands.
The 47th-ranked Dutchman came through 2-6, 7-6 (9/7), 7-5 as the world No 6 imploded.
Medvedev, the 2023 champion in Dubai, was handed a code violation for unsportsmanlike behaviour after seeing match points slip away in the second set.
As his frustration boiled over, he accused umpire Adel Nour of applying “double standards” with Russian players.
Nour hit back, telling Medvedev that he treats all players in the same way, regardless of nationality before brushing away the top seed’s complaints.
Griekspoor kept his cool in the deciding set, taking victory on a fourth match point of his own.Medvedev refused to shake hands with Nour at the end of the tie.
The 28-year-old Griekspoor, who saved three match points to see off Roman Safiullin in the first round and then overcame defending champion Ugo Humbert, will face Stefanos Tsitsipas for a place in the final.
Fourth seed Tsitsipas battled to a 7-6 (7/5), 1-6, 6-4 win over Italy’s Matteo Berrettini to reach his first semifinal since July last year.
“I’m super happy with this win,” said Griekspoor according to AFP.
“Daniil is an unbelievable player, an unbelievable competitor. He’s been at the top of the rankings for so many years, so I’m very pleased with this win.
“I was a little bit lucky on the match points down, and in the second-set tie-break. I even needed a few match points myself to finish this one off.”
Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime notched up a Tour-leading 15th win of the year, seeing off former US Open champion Marin Cilic 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 to reach his fourth semifinal of 2025.
“It’s been a great start,” said 21st-ranked Auger-Aliassime who has already claimed titles at Adelaide and Montpellier this year.
Auger-Aliassime will face French qualifier Quentin Halys who came back from a set and break down to defeat Italian lucky loser Luca Nardi 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5).
Halys knocked out ninth-ranked former champion Andrey Rublev in the first round.
Jannik Sinner, meanwhile, had his nomination for the prestigious Laureus sportsman of the year award withdrawn after he was banned for three months following two failed drugs tests, an official said.
The world No 1 from Italy, who is the reigning US Open and Australian Open champion, twice tested positive for traces of the banned anabolic steroid clostebol in March last year.
“Following discussions by the Laureus Academy it has been decided that Jannik Sinner’s nomination for this year’s Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award is to be withdrawn,” said the awards body chairman Sean Fitzpatrick, the former New Zealand rugby union great.
“We have followed this case, the decisions of the relevant global bodies and – while we note the extenuating circumstances involved – feel that the three-month ban renders the nomination ineligible.
“Jannik and his team have been informed.”
Earlier in February, the 23-year-old Sinner agreed to a three-month ban from tennis after admitting “partial responsibility” for team mistakes which led to him twice testing positive in March 2024.
His suspension ends on May 4, allowing him to return in time for the French Open, the season’s second Grand Slam event of the year.
The Laureus awards have been offered annually since 2000 by a 69-strong jury comprised of sporting greats who make up the Laureus Academy.
In 2024, fellow tennis star Novak Djokovic took the sportsman of the year award for a record fifth time.
Casper Ruud was one of three top seeds to exit the Mexican Open due to the effects of a stomach bug, while both Alexander Zverev and Ben Shelton suffered early defeats at the ATP 500 tournament in Acapulco.
Last year’s runner-up and second seed Ruud pulled out shortly before his match against Rodrigo Pacheco Mendez, sending the local favourite through to the quarterfinals.
“I was hoping to overcome this stomach illness that showed up yesterday,” Ruud said on Instagram, adding that he had tried everything he could until the last moment to be able to play.
“Hoping to come back stronger in a couple of days and come back here to Mexico next year.”
