Rublev Joins Federer-Djokovic Elite
Andrey Rublev reached his fifth Dubai Tennis Championships semifinal, joining only Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in achieving this milestone at the tournament. His consistency in Dubai highlights his ability to perform on Middle Eastern hard courts year after year.
To secure his fifth semifinal berth, Andrey Rublev defeated Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech 6-2, 6-4 in a match that lasted just 75 minutes. This was his fourth career victory over Rinderknech, maintaining a perfect head-to-head record against him. Throughout the match, Rublev hit 19 winners and committed only 11 unforced errors. Rublev's next opponent is the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor. Griekspoor advanced to the semifinals after a three-set victory over the in-form Jakub Mensik. This will be Griekspoor's second consecutive semifinal appearance in Dubai. This marks Rublev's third semifinal appearance of the 2026 season, following deep runs in Adelaide and Rotterdam. His path to the Dubai semifinal included a tough three-set victory over former champion Ugo Humbert in the round of 16. The Russian has a strong history at the Dubai tournament, having won the title in 2022 and reaching the final again in 2023, where he lost to Daniil Medvedev. His consistent performance solidifies his reputation as a formidable player on the hard courts of the Middle East. While Rublev's five semifinal appearances are impressive, he joins an exclusive club. Roger Federer holds the tournament record with eight titles and has reached the semifinals 11 times. Novak Djokovic has won the tournament five times and has made it to the semifinals on 10 occasions.
