World No 1 Novak Djokovic has seen his unbeaten begin to 2023 ended by a semi-final loss to Daniil Medvedev on the Dubai Obligation Free Tennis Championships.

Djokovic opened the 12 months by profitable the Adelaide Worldwide occasion forward of the Australian Open, the place he defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas to say a document twenty second Grand Slam title, with the Serbian holding a 15-0 document in 2023 forward of his showdown with Medvedev.

In a contest the place the gamers put their early-season win streaks on the road, Medvedev – who had received his earlier 12 matches – drew first blood by breaking an error-prone Djokovic twice and closed out the primary set with a searing forehand.

Djokovic, taking part in his first match since his Melbourne victory, regarded the higher participant after falling 2-5 down within the opening set however he dropped his serve once more early within the second after hitting a return lengthy.

Medvedev then served out a 6-4 6-4 win in a single hour and 55 minutes, along with his straight-sets success his thirteenth consecutive victory and his fifth win over Djokovic from 14 conferences.

Rublev earns maiden Zverev win to succeed in Dubai remaining

Medvedev will now face defending champion Andrey Rublev, who superior to the ultimate earlier within the day after beating Alexander Zverev in straight units.

Rublev, who saved 5 match factors earlier this week towards Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, had not received a set in his 5 earlier conferences towards Zverev.

A clean-hitting efficiency in Dubai noticed Rublev flip the script, saving one set level within the second set to triumph 6-3 7-6 (11-9) on the sixth match level and after one hour and 58 minutes.

“Immediately after I was occurring courtroom I used to be considering I’ve nothing to lose,” Rublev mentioned. “He at all times beats me!”

Rublev, who defeated Jiri Vesely in final 12 months’s remaining, is trying to be part of Roger Federer and Djokovic as the one gamers to efficiently defend the Dubai title.