Novak Djokovic Reaches Dubai Championships Final with Straight-Sets Win Over Medvedev

Novak Djokovic continued his impressive start to the 2026 season, defeating Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-3 in the semifinals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Saturday. The Serbian superstar will face either Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner in Sundays final as he seeks his first ATP title of the year.

Djokovic, who has won the Dubai tournament five times previously, was in commanding form throughout the 95-minute encounter. The 39-year-old showed no signs of slowing down, displaying the court coverage and tactical awareness that have made him one of the greatest players in tennis history. His serve was particularly effective, winning 83% of first-serve points and never facing a break point.

Medvedev, who entered the match having won three of his last five encounters against Djokovic, struggled to find his rhythm on the faster hard courts of Dubai. The Russian fourth seed committed 24 unforced errors compared to just 12 from Djokovic, and was unable to create consistent pressure on the Serbian veterans serve throughout the match.

The opening set remained competitive until Djokovic secured the crucial break in the ninth game, capitalizing on a series of forehand errors from Medvedev. The 24-time Grand Slam champion then served out the set with authority, setting the tone for what would prove to be a dominant performance.

Djokovic seized control early in the second set, breaking Medvedev in the fourth game with a stunning cross-court backhand winner. The Serbian legend never looked back, maintaining his aggressive baseline play while mixing in well-timed drop shots that repeatedly caught his opponent off guard.

This victory marks Djokovics 400th match win at ATP Masters 1000 level, making him just the second player in tennis history to reach this milestone after Rafael Nadal. The achievement adds another remarkable statistic to Djokovics already legendary career resume.

Sundays final will be Djokovics 140th ATP tour-level final and his first since last years ATP Finals in Turin. With his excellent form in Dubai and his remarkable record in championship matches, Djokovic will enter the final as the favorite regardless of his opponent.