Wawrinka waves goodbye to Dubai as Medvedev and Auger-Aliassime progress to Quarterfinals
Brooksby and Lehecka set up intriguing quarterfinal clashes
DUBAI – Daniil Medvedev brought the curtain down on Stan Wawrinka’s two-decade association with the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Wednesday, defeating the 40-year-old Swiss 6-2, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals.
The victory ended Wawrinka’s final appearance at the tournament, 20 years after his debut in the emirate. It was an afternoon marked as much by tribute as by competition inside Centre Court at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium.
Wawrinka, who will retire at the end of the season, was honoured with a traditional khanjar and a commemorative cake before leaving the court to sustained applause. The Swiss first played in Dubai in 2006 against compatriot Roger Federer and went on to lift the title in 2016.
Centre Court tribute
The three-time Grand Slam champion, winner of the 2014 Australian Open, 2015 French Open and 2016 US Open, had opened his campaign this week with victory over Lebanon’s Benjamin Hassan. However, Medvedev, champion in Dubai in 2023, proved a formidable obstacle.
The opening set lasted just over half an hour. Wawrinka was broken three times, managing only a single break in the sixth game when Medvedev produced his lone double fault of the match. The Russian consolidated quickly and dictated play with precision from the baseline.
In the second set, the contest briefly tightened. The pair exchanged breaks before engaging in a series of extended rallies that drew appreciative murmurs from the crowd. Wawrinka showed flashes of the power and shot-making that defined his career, but Medvedev’s serving remained decisive. He struck seven aces and secured the crucial break in the seventh game before sealing the match when Wawrinka’s forehand found the net at match point.
“Dubai has always been special,” Wawrinka said afterwards, reflecting on his long relationship with the event. He described the tournament as one players eagerly anticipate each season and thanked organisers for granting him a wildcard for one final appearance.
Tournament officials including Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free and Chairman of the Tournament Organising Committee, Salah Tahlak, Tournament Director, and Sinead El Sibai, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Dubai Duty Free, joined ATP Tour CEO Eno Polo and supervisor Hans-Juergen Ochs on court for the presentation.
Medvedev acknowledged the significance of the occasion. “It’s amazing to play against him for what might be one last time,” he said, noting that such speeches are usually reserved for finals.
Quarterfinal
Medvedev next faces American Jenson Brooksby, who defeated seventh seed Karen Khachanov 7-6 (6), 6-4 on New Court 1. Brooksby is the only American remaining in the men’s draw this week, seeking to mirror compatriot Jessica Pegula’s triumph in last week’s WTA 1000 event in Dubai.
The winner of that quarterfinal will be on course to meet last year’s finalist Felix Auger-Aliassime, who progressed with a composed 6-4, 6-4 victory over French qualifier Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
Mpetshi Perricard, ranked World No. 58, began with explosive intent. The 22-year-old fired four aces in his opening service game, several exceeding 230kph, and surged into a 3-0 lead. Auger-Aliassime’s early double faults handed the Frenchman three break points and early momentum.
The match shifted unexpectedly when Mpetshi Perricard suffered a nosebleed, disrupting his rhythm. Auger-Aliassime capitalised immediately, breaking twice in succession to move from 1-4 down to 5-4 ahead before closing out the set.
The Canadian, World No. 8, said patience was central to his turnaround. He adjusted his return position and varied placement to move his opponent around the court, limiting the impact of the powerful serve. After tidying up his own delivery, he controlled rallies with greater authority and efficiency.
Auger-Aliassime, who won in Montpellier earlier this year and reached the final in Rotterdam, has now made at least three quarterfinal appearances in 2026. He will meet eighth seed Jiri Lehecka, who overcame Spanish qualifier Pablo Carreno Busta 7-6 (6), 6-4. The Czech advances to his second successive quarterfinal following his run in Doha last week.
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free and held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
The tournament runs until Saturday, with tickets available from Dh65.