Daniil Medvedev said it was “not how I wanted to win” after claiming the Dubai Tennis Championships title when Tallon Griekspoor pulled out of the final with injury.
Griekspoor hurt his left hamstring during his semi-final win over Andrey Rublev and was later ruled unfit to play following a medical assessment. He had already admitted he would have retired during the semi-final had he lost the second set.
Medvedev, who also won the tournament in 2023, said on social media he hoped the injury was not serious and wished Griekspoor a speedy recovery.
The Russian did not drop a set all week and this victory makes it the first time in his career he has won the same tournament twice. It is his second title of the year and third in the past four months.
However, his travel plans to next week’s Indian Wells Masters are uncertain after the United Arab Emirates temporarily closed parts of its airspace following escalating conflict in the Middle East.
Earlier in Dubai, Britain’s Henry Patten and Finland’s Harri Heliovaara won the men’s doubles title for the second year running.
