Andrey Rublev will meet Alexander Zverev in the Semi-Finals of the 2023 Dubai Championships. The match will be played on Friday March 3rd, 2023.
Andrey Rublev is the second seed here at the 2023 Dubai Championships and is ranked 6th on the ATP Tour. The Russian had a very successful 2022 season winning 4 titles but has struggled to start 2023. Despite reaching the Quarter-Finals of the Australian Open he has largely been disappointing, so reaching the Semi-Finals here will have been a relief. He is the defending champion but didn’t look convincing in the Second Round where he came from the brink to defeat Davidovich Fokina, but was clinical in his win over Botic van de Zandschulp, controlling the match from the baseline with some serious power hitting. He should be considered the slight favorite here against Alexander Zverev, even though the odds say otherwise, but he knows he will be in for a tough day at the office.
Alexander Zverev is the seventh seed here at the Dubai Championships and is ranked 16th in the world. He has struggled since returning to the tour after that horrific injury, so this run to the Semis here will be a welcome sight. After a tough three set win over Jiri Lehecka in the First Round he has cruised through the draw, dispatching O’Connell and Lorenzo Sonego in straight sets. He is up against a familiar foe in Andrey Rublev now, and will have to serve at his best to win here.
This should be a very tough and interesting match. Andrey Rublev has to be considered the favorite given Zverev’s struggles, but I am going against the grain and backing the German. He has a comprehensive 5-0 record over the Russian, and that will be playing on Rublev’s mind for sure. Neither have fully been at their best lately, but I think that Zverev is now regaining his confidence and that will be the difference here. Zverev in three.