Wawrinka bids farewell to Dubai after falling to Medvedev, Auger-Aliassime enters quarters

Daniil Medvedev ended three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka’s 20-year relationship with the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Wednesday, overpowering the 40-year-old Swiss 6-2, 6-3.

Wawrinka, who will retire at the end of the season, was presented with a traditional Arabian dagger and a cake from tournament organisers before being applauded off Centre Court at the Dubai Duty Tennis Stadium by an appreciative crowd.

Wawrinka, who made his debut in the emirate 20 years ago this week against compatriot Roger Federer and went on to win the title a decade later in 2016, had opened his campaign impressively against Lebanon’s Benjamin Hassan on Monday.

Yet Medvedev – also crowned champion here in 2023 - proved too large a hurdle.

In a first set that lasted little more than half an hour, Wawrinka surrendered his serve three times, and while he did manage to break the World No11 in the sixth game – with the help of Medvedev’s only double-fault of the match – he could not consolidate. In the second set, the two players traded breaks before upping their levels to play out a series of extended rallies that Wawrinka ultimately won. Medvedev’s serving, however, was on point as he hit seven aces before breaking again in the seventh game.

When Wawrinka’s forehand found the net at match-point, cheers went up inside Centre Court, not because – or at least not solely because – Medvedev progresses to the quarte-rfinals, but because in saying au revoir to Wawrinka, the 34-year-old Dubai tournament is saying goodbye to one of the best to grace its courts.

“Dubai has always been special,” said Wawrinka, who won the 2014 Australian Open, 2015 French Open, and 2016 US Open.

“Since I first arrived on tour, Dubai was always a tournament you look for: So many great players, so many amazing champions play here. One of the biggest on the ATP Tour. I had the opportunity to win it in ‘16, so for me it was amazing to receive a wildcard this year and have the chance to play here this week. It was not the best finish, but Dannil is a tough and great player. I tried, but he was better than me.”

Receiving an ovation from the crowd, Wawrinka accepted a commemorative Arabian dagger, and a cake from Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free and Chairman of the Tournament Organising Committee, Salah Tahlak, Deputy Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free and Tournament Director of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, and Sinead El Sibai, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Dubai Duty Free. The local organisers were joined by Eno Polo, the CEO of the ATP Tour, and Hans-Juergen Ochs, ATP Tour Supervisor.

“It’s amazing to play against him for what might be one last time,” said Medvedev. “But it’s also special because usually you sit and wait for your opponent to make a speech only in the final, so it was cool to see the tournament make this gesture to Stan. It’s not his last tournament, but it’s his last tournament here, so it’s cool to see a legend like Stan being appreciated.”

Medevedev will face Jenson Brooksby in the last-eight after the only American in this week’s Main Draw continued his quest to emulate compatriot Jessica Pegula, who won the WTA 1000 event here last week.

Brooksby beat Dubai-based No7 seed Karen Khachanov 7-6 (6), 6-4 on New Court 1.

The winner of Medvedev-Brooksby is on course to face last year’s defeated finalist Felix Auger-Aliassime, who fought back from 1-4 down against big-serving French qualifier Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard to win in straight sets 6-4, 6-4.

Mpetshi Perricard, 22, had raced into a 3-0 lead as he hit four aces in his opening service game, including some that topped 230kph, and benefited from his Canadian opponent double-faulting to hand him three breakpoints. Yet, just as everything seemed to be going right for the World No58, a sudden nosebleed knocked him off stride. Auger-Aliassime recovered to break twice in succession to go 3-4 then 5-4 before quickly closing out.

“It definitely didn’t start the way I wanted,” said the World No8, who lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas in last year’s final.

“Obviously, there’s a bit of shade on the court, different feelings, different sensations during the day, but once I got settled in, I felt like I was returning well. I just thought to myself, ‘I’ll get my chances’ and I did – I took them and came back brilliantly.”

He will face Jiri Lehecka. who saw off Spanish qualifier Pablo Carreno Busta 7-6 (6), 6-4.