Article by Roxana Fleşeru – Published Saturday, February 28, 2026, 4:01 p.m. / Updated Saturday, February 28, 2026, 4:10 p.m.
Daniil Medvedev (30 years old, 11 ATP) defended his trophy won last year in Dubai without playing the final. His opponent, Tallon Griekspoor (29 years old, 25 ATP), announced that he is not fit to contest the final act due to a left thigh injury.
Daniil Medvedev finally managed to defend a trophy. The player from Russia won the 23rd trophy of his career in Dubai, where he also prevailed last year, after the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor could not show up for the last match of the ATP 500 tournament.
Griekspoor managed to get past Andrey Rublev 7-5, 7-6 (5) in the semi-finals, although he was injured during the match. “I don't know how I won, especially since I could barely walk,” said the Dutchman on Friday.
It is the second trophy that Medvedev wins in 2026, after he also won in Brisbane. “It's a shame for Tallon, I could see from yesterday that he has a problem but you never know what can happen overnight. Sometimes it can get better and you're left with a strain and you can get over it, but other times it gets worse, I think that's what happened with him.” said Daniil Medvedev.
Daniil Medvedev: “I hope to take this confidence gathered in four matches to Indian Wells”
He is once again closing in on the Top 10. “I had a very good tournament, of course I wanted to play the final, but that happens sometimes. I had an incredible match in the semi-finals, I could say that was my final,” said Medvedev, who advanced to the penultimate set of Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 6-2.
What is left after this tournament? “With a lot of confidence, but tennis is a fast-paced sport, one week things go wrong and the next you play incredible. I hope to take this confidence gathered in four matches to Indian Wells as well. I think I played really well all week, so I was looking forward to the final, but I'm happy with how everything turned out this week.” he concluded.
Dannil Medvedev also defeated Juncheng Shang, Stan Wawrinka and Jenson Brooksby in Dubai.
It is the 21st trophy on hard for Medvedev, who tied Jannik Sinner for the number of trophies won on this surface among active players, they are only behind Novak Djokovic (72), informs ATP.
