Novak Djokovic suffered his first defeat since November as Daniil Medvedev sent him packing in Dubai. The world No 7 downed the top seed 6-4 6-4 in just an hour and 35 minutes as Djokovic struggled with some uncharacteristic errors. It also marks the Serb’s first defeat this year, while Medvedev extended his own winning streak to 13 matches.
Djokovic and Medvedev were facing off for the 14th time in a mouthwatering semi-final at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Both men were coming into the clash on form, having won two titles each so far this season already with the Serb’s last defeat coming in November while the world No 7 had not lost since a third-round exit at the Australian Open.
Looking for his third title in as many weeks, it was Medvedev who was first to pounce and broke the top seed for a 3-2 lead. The 27-year-old then started hurtling towards a one-set lead as Djokovic hit a series of uncharacteristic errors while serving at 2-4 down to get broken for a second time, allowing Medvedev to serve for it.
But the five-time former champion in Dubai was able to retrieve one of the breaks, denying Medvedev the opening set and holding to love, forcing the third seed to try and serve it out once again. Medvedev was able to recover from 15-30 down to take the first set 6-4 after 39 minutes, putting Djokovic’s unbeaten streak in 2023 under threat.
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The world No 1 continued to struggle with some wayward errors in the first game of the second set, losing four points in a row from 40-15 up to get broken. And he had trouble on serve once more at 1-3 down, making more mistakes to find himself dragged to deuce again after leading but managed to hold on to keep himself close behind Medvedev at 2-3.
There was an issue in the next game as Medvedev was called for a foot fault that wasn’t given as the umpire said it the call came too early – something Djokovic tried to disagree with. But the Russian received his first serve again as the chair official started that the rule was for calls to come after a serve, and he held to lead 4-2.
Medvedev continued his streak of not facing a break point in set number two as he held to put himself within a game of the final and served for the match after one final service hold from the top seed. And the world No 7 closed out a straightforward 6-4 6-4 victory to reach his third final in three weeks.
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It marks the first time this season that Djokovic has lost a match, having previously gone 15-0 after winning titles in Adelaide and at the Australian Open, then reaching the last four in Dubai. T
he world No 1’s last defeat came in the first week of November, when 19-year-old Holger Rune stunned Djokovic by defeating him in the final of the Paris Masters to win the biggest title of his young career.
Medvedev will now face countryman and good friend Andrey Rublev in tomorrow’s final. The world No 7 leads their head-to-head by four wins to two losses but Rublev is the reigning champion in Dubai, picking up the title 12 months ago.
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