Dubai Tennis Championships 2023

The 2023 Dubai Tennis Championships were held early again this year, and for many players, this serves as excellent preparation for the BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells) and the Miami Open, ATP 1000 tournaments both taking place in March. This is why Novak Djokovic, for example, made his way to Dubai, and why we also saw top players like Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, Felix Auger Aliassime, and Andrey Rublev on the entry list.

Besides Russians Medvedev and Rublev, Karen Khachanov, another Russian player from the world's top 15, was in the lineup. However, the 2023 Dubai Tennis Championships ended early for him, thanks to a strong performance by one of the Dutch players who had traveled to Dubai. Botic van de Zandschulp showed his good form and defeated Khachanov 7-5/6-2. The other Dutchman in the main draw of the 2023 Dubai Tennis Championships was Tallon Griekspoor. He also survived the first round by defeating Frenchman Constant Lestienne in three sets.

Highlights Dubai Tennis Championships 2023

Novak Djokovic also needed three sets to advance to round two of the 2023 Dubai Tennis Championships. He seemed to be building towards a 6-3 victory in the first set against Czech Tomás Machác, who then leveled the score at 1-1 by winning the second set by the same score. The 22-year-old Machac also held his own in the third set, even battling his way to a tiebreak. Ultimately, the Serb won this tiebreak, edging through the painstaking second round, where he faced Griekspoor.

Unfortunately for our compatriot, Djokovic was in top form during this match, and despite Griekspoor doing everything he could to steal points from the world number one, the first set ended 6-2. When the second set was then 5-0 in Djokovic's favor, it seemed the Dutchman was quickly over. However, he retaliated and fought back to 5-3, after which Djokovic finished it off. There was better news for Van de Zandschulp, who faced Mikael Ymer in this round. Although the Swede took the first set 6-3, Van de Zandschulp rallied and, with two sets of 6-3 wins in his favor, secured a spot in the quarterfinals.

Rublev survives five match points in a row

Rublev also reached the quarterfinals. For a long time, however, it seemed the second round would be his last stop. He lost the first set 6-1 against Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, and Rublev was even trailing 6-1 in the second-set tiebreak. Miraculously, the Russian managed to survive all five match points and then win the match. Auger-Aliassime also faced defeat in the second round, struggling against the Italian Lorenzo Sonego.

Because Rublev ultimately managed to win against Davidovich Fokina, he was allowed to face Van de Zandschulp in the quarterfinals. In the first set, our compatriot's serve was broken quickly, after which Rublev quickly extended his lead to a 6-3 victory. In the following set, Van de Zandschulp managed to stay in contention for longer. After surviving three match points on his own serve, he fought his way to a tiebreak, in which Rublev ultimately prevailed. Besides Rublev, Djokovic, Zverev, and Medvedev also won their quarterfinal matches, thus determining the semifinalists.

Medvedev knocks out Djokovic

In that semifinal, Djokovic faced the in-form Medvedev. Medvedev hadn't dropped a set in his three previous matches at the 2023 Dubai Tennis Championships and had also dominated the first set against Djokovic. He quickly took a 5-2 lead and ultimately won the set 6-4. By also winning the second set 6-4, he defeated five-time tournament champion Djokovic and could prepare for a final against his compatriot Rublev. Zverev had defeated him 6-3/7-6 in his semifinal.