Andrey Rublev at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on February 26, 2026.

Former champion Andrey Rublev reached his fifth semifinal at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Thursday (February 26), joining an exclusive list that includes only Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the tournament’s 34-year history. The fifth seed defeated France’s Arthur Rinderknech 6-2, 6-4 in 75 minutes at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, producing one of his most polished performances of the season. Rublev, 28, combined his trademark power with sharp movement on the fast Centre Court surface. He struck 19 winners while limiting his unforced errors to 11. A highlight came in the fifth game of the opening set when he chased down a deep volley and returned an inch-perfect forehand that clipped the baseline to break serve. “It’s tough to say something about my level because Arthur is the kind of player who breaks the rhythm,” Rublev said. “He doesn’t play rallies. He hits two or three shots, serves super hard, returns super hard, so there is no rhythm. That’s why it is important to have all the focus on the first two, three shots.” Rublev said his strategy was clear from the start. “All my game was based on those first two or three shots; to not let him get a good position to attack and instead force him to hit from tough positions. The opportunities he gave me, I was able to return well and aggressively to put pressure on him.” The straight-sets win was a contrast to his previous round, a two-hour, 23-minute battle against Ugo Humbert. “I’m happy to be back in the semi-final,” Rublev said. “Arthur is a tough player. We have had great battles in the past, so I’m really happy that I was able to win in straight sets, especially after a long and tough match. To be able to win in straight sets helps a lot as I’ll have more time to recover.” Rublev will next face Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, who defeated Jakub Mensik 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 under the Centre Court lights at 7pm. Griekspoor said he had to raise his level in the deciding set. “At the beginning of the third, I had to up my game, serve better, which I really did. In the end, I started to return really well too, so I am very pleased with the win.” PIA/MFD/Expat Media
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