Dubai Duty Free Tennis: Gear up for blockbuster semifinal clashes today

Olympic champion Zverev faces defending champion Rublev in the first semifinal (5 pm) and Djokovic takes on Medvedev in the second semis (7 pm)

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Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after he beats Poland's Hubert Hurkacz during their quarterfinal match in Dubai. — AP

By Joy Chakravarty

Published: Fri 3 Mar 2023, 11:33 AM

Two of the hottest players in world tennis will clash for a place in the final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Russian Daniil Medvedev, who defeated Borna Coric 6-3 6-2 in the quarterfinal on Thursday, will face the world No.1 Novak Djokovic in the second semifinal today at 7 pm.

Medvedev, who has won titles in Rotterdam and Doha in the previous two weeks, is now unbeaten for 13 matches after a 6-3, 6-2 win over Coric.

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Australian Open champion Djokovic, one the other hand, is now 15-0 for unbeaten in 2023.

In the first semifinal today (5 pm) at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, Olympic champion Alexander Zverev of Germany will take on defending champion Andrey Rublev of Russia.

Meanwhile, Medvedev said Djokovic will be the favourite in tonight's clash.

“I’m playing good right now, but when you are playing against Djokovic, he is always the favourite," the 2021 US Open champion said.

"He has won, I don’t know, like 50 last matches and lost maybe four.

“He is playing great, and he is moving great. You can never say that he is 35 years old. But I have always had some good fights with him. So, I’m hoping to be in my best shape because that’s the only way to beat him.”

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Joy Chakravarty

Published: Fri 3 Mar 2023, 11:33 AM

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