Daniil Medvedev claimed his second Dubai Tennis Championships crown on Saturday after his opponent, Tallon Griekspoor, was forced to withdraw from the final due to a left hamstring injury.
Griekspoor had sustained the injury near the end of his semi-final victory over Andrey Rublev on Friday and appeared doubtful for the final as he limped into the post-match press conference. Following a medical assessment, the tournament confirmed that the Dutchman “was deemed unfit to play in the ATP 500 men’s final.”
Medvedev expressed understanding but regret over the withdrawal, saying, “It’s unfortunate, but I could see yesterday that he may have been injured. Injuries can improve overnight or worsen, and I guess it got worse. I can’t control that. I played an incredible tournament across my four matches. I wanted to contest the final, but it is what it is. Yesterday’s match felt like a final, and I’m happy to take the title.”
The 30-year-old Russian’s victory marks the first time he has successfully defended a title, adding a second Dubai trophy to the one he won in 2023. Medvedev now has 23 career trophies, having previously won 22 in 22 separate events.
Reflecting on his performance, he said, “This week gives me a lot of confidence. Tennis is fast-paced one week you may struggle the next you play brilliantly. I hope to carry this momentum into Indian Wells. I played unreal all week and was looking forward to the final, but overall, I’m very happy with how it went.”
While the doubles final in Dubai proceeded as planned, the singles final was overshadowed by regional tensions. Medvedev revealed uncertainty about his participation in next week’s ATP 1000 event in California, as UAE airspace remains partially closed following Iranian missile strikes in retaliation to U.S. and Israeli operations in Iran.
“Right now, I don’t know how I’ll get to California. We’re waiting on updates about the reopening of Gulf airspace,” Medvedev said.
The disruptions have affected all flights at Dubai airports, creating uncertainty for players traveling to Indian Wells and highlighting the impact of geopolitical events on international sports schedules.
