Daniil Medvedev cruises to Dubai SFs, beats Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in quarters

DUBAI: Daniil Medvedev continued his red-hot form in the Dubai Tennis Championships as the World No.4 stretched his winning streak to eight matches when he stormed past Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-2, 6-3 to reach the semifinals.

The Russian player was too consistent for Davidovich Fokina throughout the 89-minute quarterfinal match, hitting 15 winners and making only six unforced mistakes in the pair's ATP Head to Head series, improving to 4-0 overall.

"Alejandro can play very well. Sometimes during matches, he can have a little down moment and then he goes up. I knew that no matter the score, I needed to go until the last point. The second set at one moment got a bit tighter but I managed to stay there and win some more games and it was enough to win," Medvedev said as quoted by ATP.

Medvedev is participating for the first time since reaching the Australian Open final last month, and he will face Ugo Humbert in his quest for the season's first victory.

The top seed won in three sets over Lorenzo Sonego in the previous round, but complained of jitters in the early stages. The 28-year-old seemed considerably more at ease against Davidovich Fokina, breaking the Spaniard's serve four games to win. Last year, Medvedev lifted the trophy at the ATP 500 in Dubai.

"I was feeling better. I don't know what happened yesterday. A few people around me got a small virus, so maybe it is this. Some days that happens but I am happy today happened. I am not at my best shape yet but we have some more matches," Medvedev said.

Elsewhere, Frenchman Humbert scripted a powerful comeback to defeat Hubert Hurkacz, the third seed, 3-6, 7-6(8), 6-3.

The other semi-final in Dubai will be contested by Andrey Rublev and Alexander Bublik, who both advanced to the last four after their quarter-final opponents were forced to retire due to injury.

The second-seeded Rublev led Sebastian Korda 6-4, 4-3 when the American shook hands due to an injury.