Rublev Rolls Into 5th Dubai Semifinal

By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, February 26, 2026
Photo credit: Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Crushing crackling drives off the front foot is Andrey Rublev’s forte.

Today, Rublev displayed all-court acumen at times to hit a milestone in Dubai.

Rublev repelled Arthur Rinderknech 6-2, 6-4 to roll into his fifth career Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships semifinal.

The fifth-seeded Rublev joins eight-time champion Roger Federer (11) and Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic (10) as the third man in history to reach five or more Dubai semifinals.

It is Rublev’s 48th career Tour-level semifinal and he delivered one of his finest performances of the season in the process. Rublev, who won 11 of the first 14 games, hit 19 winners against 11 unforced errors.

Rublev converted four of seven break-point chances, including two terrific backhand volleys that helped him break. The notoriously net-averse Russian made some fantastic stretch volleys going a perfect 5 for 5 at net.

It all added up to a 74-minute victory, Rublev’s fourth win over Rinderknech in as many meetings.

“Of course, against players like Arthur, the return is the key,” Rublev said. “I think it was both things. The games that I was able to break him, I returned well. And also, he maybe make two or three first serves and two or three seconds, so I had a bit of opportunity to step in on the second serve. And I was able to return them well and take these opportunities.

“Because sometimes when they serve everything with the first serve it’s even tougher to break. So I had a little chance that he give me and I was able to use it in the right way.”

The 2022 Dubai champion Rublev will face Tallon Griekspoor for a spot in the final.

World No. 25 Griekspoor converted all three break points fending off Miami Open champion Jakub Mensik, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 in the only quarterfinal that went the distance today. It is Griekspoor 11th semifinal and first since he won the 2025 Mallorca championship last summer.

Though Rublev is an offensive powerhouse, he used determined defense to carve out the first break. Tracking down a Rinderknech smash, Rublev flashed a running forehand pass crosscourt that caught the baseline, breaking with a bang for 3-2.

“He served wide, I returned really well,” Rublev said. “I was thinking for sure he will do a mistake or give me an easy ball to pass. But in the end, this lob that he played with the forehand volley, went really deep and close to the line. So there was not really space.

“And I was like okay, I will make one lucky lob maybe some fairy tale’s gonna happen because I had no space. Maybe I could hit hard down the line, but I felt like he would cover it. So I was like okay if he’s too close then maybe the lob will work. I was starting to see he’s catching it quite easy, I was like no way. I was lucky he was not able to hit it super hard.

“I covered that side well and I hit a lucky forehand crosscourt on the line. In my case, I don’t have many highlights from defense. Normally all my highlights is from attack, so I start to get highlights from defense.”

The red-haired Russian backed up the break at 15 for 4-2.

Serving for the set, Rublev saved set point with a curling crosscourt forehand.

On his first set point, Rublev ripped an ace to seal a superb opening set in 29 minutes. Rublev won 12 of 16 first-serve points and committed just three unforced errors in the opening set. 

Across the net, Rinderknech, who looked a bit drained by his 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-4 win over Indian Wells champion Jack Draper on Wednesday night, tried to reset to start the second set.

Reading the Frenchman’s serve, Rublev hammered a forehand return winner down the line that plopped on the baseline for the break at a 2-1 lead. An exquisite lunging backhand volley helped Rublev score his second straight break for 4-1 as he ran off five games in a row for a 5-1 lead.

Credit Rinderknech for saving match point when Rublev missed a forehand and eventually hold for 4-5.

Rinderknech saved a second match point on a forehand net-cord winner. Rublev pumped an ace for another match point and closed in 74 minutes on the Frenchman’s error.

Tomorrow’s semifinal pits top-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime against third-seeded Daniil Medvedev.

US Open semifinalist Auger-Aliassime smacked 16 aces against two double faults and saved both break points in a 6-3, 7-6(2) win over Jiri Lehecka.

World No. 8 Auger-Aliassime improved to 11-1 in February advancing to his 42nd ATP semifinal and now stands one win from a second straight Dubai final.

Former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev opened today’s quarterfinal play pounding out a 6-2, 6-1 win over American Jenson Brooksby.

Medvedev broke five times and did not face a break point in a strong 56-minute sweep.

“I’m really happy with my level, I think I’m playing better and better every match,” Medvedev said.

“The shots that I played I felt like they were going in a lot of the time and I felt maybe he had a problem with his shoulder, but he’s a great fighter so I knew it would still be tough.

“I felt good coming into this season, I trained hard during the off season, and I think we are seeing that come into fruition now.” 

It is the third Dubai semifinal for 2023 champion Medvedev, who will contest his 64th Tour-level semifinal.