Medvedev, Cilic reach quarters as Griekspoor upsets Humbert

Amir Naqvi, Sports Editor

Top seed Daniil Medvedev advanced to the quarter-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard at Centre Court on Monday.

The 2023 champion needed just one hour and 28 minutes to dispatch the Frenchman. Displaying powerful serves with precision and aggressive baseline play, the World No. 6 from Russia broke his opponent thrice and won the opening set in 39 minutes.

In the second set, Mpetshi Perricard fought valiantly, saving two crucial break points in a determined bid to stay in the match.

However, his unforced errors began to accumulate, and a costly sixth double fault handed Medvedev the decisive break, giving him a 5-4 lead.

With the momentum firmly on his side, the 2021 US Open champion served out the match.

He will next face Tallon Griekspoor. Griekspoor pulled off a stunning upset, storming into the last eight with a gritty 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over the defending champion Ugo Humbert.

The world No. 47 from the Netherlands bounced back from a tough first set to dominate the final two against the fifth seed.

Following a tense opening set where world No. 15 from France looked to assert his dominance, the Dutchman dug deep, recalibrating his game in the second set with relentless precision and powerful shot-making.

By the time the third set arrived, the momentum had fully shifted, and Griekspoor unleashed a barrage of winners, leaving Humbert scrambling. With every game, the Dutchman grew in confidence, clinching the victory with a series of powerful serves and groundstrokes.

French qualifier Quentin Halys continued his fairytale run in Dubai, adding another stunning scalp to his list of victories as he defeated 2018 winner Roberto Bautista Agut.

After knocking out third seed and 2022 champion Andrey Rublev on Tuesday, Halys delivered yet another jaw-dropping performance, dispatching Bautista Agut in straight sets 7-6, 6-4.

For a place in the semi-final, he will meet lucky loser Luca Nardi, who defeated Zizou Bergs 6-4, 7-6 (3). Nardi, ranked No. 79, showcased his poise under pressure, battling through a tight second-set tiebreak to seal the place in the quarter-finals.

Marin Cilic battled his way into the quarter-finals, beating Alexei Popyrin 5-7, 6-3, 6-4. The 36-year-old Croatian veteran, whose career had seemed uncertain after years of injury struggles, delivered a performance that showcased his enduring class and unyielding spirit.

This victory marked Cilic’s second win of the season, having only played three matches so far. It comes on the heels of his resurgence late last year, when he captured his 21st career title at the Hangzhou Open.

World No. 187, who suffered a first-round exit at the hands of Carlos Alcaraz in Doha, found his rhythm again, defeating top 30 players in both Alex de Minaur and now Popyrin.

The Croatian has battled with a chronic right knee injury for the past three years, underwent surgery in 2023, and found relief only in May of that year.

Popyrin, who was once a ball kid at the Dubai Tennis Championships, had looked in control early on, breaking Cilic’s serve at the end of the first set to take charge. Refusing to surrender easily, the Croat bounced back in the second and fended off two break points before finally breaking the Australian’s serve to level the match.

At 3-2 in the final set, Cilic struck decisively, breaking Popyrin again with a masterful display of skill. This crucial break paved the way for his success ultimately.

He next faces Felix Auger-Aliassime, who staged a magnificent comeback, overcoming Nuno Borges 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 to secure his place in the quarter-finals. The match was a rollercoaster of emotions, with Auger-Aliassime digging deep and displaying remarkable resilience.

After losing the first set, the world No. 21 from Canada found his rhythm in the second and later managed to edge past the Portuguese with a late break in the tense third set. Auger-Aliassime converted three of ten break points that came his way while showing incredible defense, saving four of six break points against Borges.