By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, February 26, 2026Photo credit score: Dubai Responsibility Free Tennis Championships.
Crushing crackling drives off the entrance foot is Andrey Rublev’s forte.
At present, Rublev displayed all-court acumen at instances to hit a milestone in Dubai.
Rublev repelled Arthur Rinderknech 6-2, 6-4 to roll into his fifth profession Dubai Responsibility Free Tennis Championships semifinal.
The fifth-seeded Rublev joins eight-time champion Roger Federer (11) and Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic (10) because the third man in historical past to achieve 5 or extra Dubai semifinals.
It’s Rublev’s forty eighth profession Tour-level semifinal and he delivered one among his best performances of the season within the course of. Rublev, who gained 11 of the primary 14 video games, hit 19 winners in opposition to 11 unforced errors.
Rublev transformed 4 of seven break-point possibilities, together with two terrific backhand volleys that helped him break. The notoriously net-averse Russian made some incredible stretch volleys going an ideal 5 for five at web.
All of it added as much as a 74-minute victory, Rublev’s fourth win over Rinderknech in as many conferences.
“In fact, in opposition to gamers like Arthur, the return is the important thing,” Rublev mentioned. “I feel it was each issues. The video games that I used to be capable of break him, I returned nicely. And likewise, he perhaps make two or three first serves and two or three seconds, so I had a little bit of alternative to step in on the second serve. And I used to be capable of return them nicely and take these alternatives.
“As a result of typically after they serve the whole lot with the primary serve it’s even harder to interrupt. So I had a bit of probability that he give me and I used to be in a position to make use of it in the fitting manner.”
The 2022 Dubai champion Rublev will face Tallon Griekspoor for a spot within the remaining.
World No. 25 Griekspoor transformed all three break factors keeping off Miami Open champion Jakub Mensik, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 in the one quarterfinal that went the gap at this time. It’s Griekspoor eleventh semifinal and first since he gained the 2025 Mallorca championship final summer season.
Although Rublev is an offensive powerhouse, he used decided protection to carve out the primary break. Monitoring down a Rinderknech smash, Rublev flashed a working forehand move crosscourt that caught the baseline, breaking with a bang for 3-2.
“He served large, I returned rather well,” Rublev mentioned. “I used to be pondering for positive he’ll do a mistake or give me a simple ball to move. However ultimately, this lob that he performed with the forehand volley, went actually deep and near the road. So there was probably not area.
“And I used to be like okay, I’ll make one fortunate lob perhaps some fairy story’s gonna occur as a result of I had no area. Possibly I might hit arduous down the road, however I felt like he would cowl it. So I used to be like okay if he’s too shut then perhaps the lob will work. I used to be beginning to see he’s catching it fairly simple, I used to be like no manner. I used to be fortunate he was not capable of hit it tremendous arduous.
“I coated that facet nicely and I hit a fortunate forehand crosscourt on the road. In my case, I don’t have many highlights from protection. Usually all my highlights is from assault, so I begin to get highlights from protection.”
The red-haired Russian backed up the break at 15 for 4-2.
Serving for the set, Rublev saved set level with a curling crosscourt forehand.
On his first set level, Rublev ripped an ace to seal an outstanding opening set in 29 minutes. Rublev gained 12 of 16 first-serve factors and dedicated simply three unforced errors within the opening set.
Throughout the web, Rinderknech, who appeared a bit drained by his 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-4 win over Indian Wells champion Jack Draper on Wednesday evening, tried to reset to begin the second set.
Studying the Frenchman’s serve, Rublev hammered a forehand return winner down the road that plopped on the baseline for the break at a 2-1 lead. An beautiful lunging backhand volley helped Rublev rating his second straight break for 4-1 as he ran off 5 video games in a row for a 5-1 lead.
Credit score Rinderknech for saving match level when Rublev missed a forehand and ultimately maintain for 4-5.
Rinderknech saved a second match level on a forehand net-cord winner. Rublev pumped an ace for an additional match level and closed in 74 minutes on the Frenchman’s error.
Tomorrow’s semifinal pits top-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime in opposition to third-seeded Daniil Medvedev.
US Open semifinalist Auger-Aliassime smacked 16 aces in opposition to two double faults and saved each break factors 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 forty second ATP semifinal and now stands one win from a second straight Dubai remaining.
Former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev opened at this time’s quarterfinal play pounding out a 6-2, 6-1 win over American Jenson Brooksby.
Medvedev broke 5 instances and didn’t face a break level in a robust 56-minute sweep.
“I’m actually pleased with my degree, I feel I’m enjoying higher and higher each match,” Medvedev mentioned.
“The pictures that I performed I felt like they had been getting into loads of the time and I felt perhaps he had an issue along with his shoulder, however he’s an awesome fighter so I knew it might nonetheless be robust.
“I felt good coming into this season, I skilled arduous throughout the off season, and I feel we’re seeing that come into fruition now.”
It’s the third Dubai semifinal for 2023 champion Medvedev, who will contest his sixty fourth Tour-level semifinal.
