Daniil Medvedev proved too much for Félix Auger-Aliassime on Friday as the Canadian No. 1 lost out in the semifinals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Medvedev’s 6-4, 6-2 victory was his eighth in ten meetings with Auger-Aliassime, snapping the Montrealer’s two-match win streak against the former world No. 1.
This was Auger-Aliassime’s biggest test on serve in the event. The 25-year-old was broken for the first time in Dubai at 4-5 in the opener as Medvedev took a one-set lead. Auger-Aliassime then faced three break points in the second set and was broken twice, one which wrapped up the match in just under 90 minutes.
Both players were deadlocked through most of the opening set, but it was Medvedev who had a slightly easier time on serve. The world No. 11 made just a little over half of his first serves; however, he conceded only two points when his first delivery landed in.
On the other end, Auger-Aliassime had to serve his way out of a few deuces, but his toughest time on serve came when serving to extend the set in the tenth game. The Canadian faced the match’s first break point at 4-5, 30-40, where Medvedev put away the volley to end a 24-shot rally, sealing the opener.
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The fourth game of the second set had the longest rally of the evening as it was Auger-Aliassime who this time put the volley away on the 27th hit. However, the extended rallies may have taken a toll on the world No. 8 as he was eventually broken in the game and found himself trailing 1-3.
Medvedev cruised on serve the rest of the way, winning eight-straight service points to go one-game away from the final.
With Auger-Aliassime serving to stay alive at 2-5, 15-30, Medvedev produced a passing shot from past the tramlines to hold double match point. The Canuck saved one with a strong serve, but a return winner sank Auger-Aliassime’s hopes of returning to the final in Dubai.
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The Canadian’s focus now shifts to the first ATP Masters 1000 of the year at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells next week.
Feature Photo: Martin Sidorjak
