"This is not the way I wanted to win a final", Medvedev wrote on his personal X account on 28/2, hours after Griekspoor's withdrawal. "I hope Griekspoor's injury is not serious. I wish him a speedy recovery."

Griekspoor sustained a left hamstring injury during his semifinal victory over Andrey Rublev. The Dutch player landed awkwardly after a serve. Despite discomfort throughout the rest of the match, Griekspoor still managed to defeat Rublev. However, the world number 25 could not recover in time for the final and decided to withdraw.

This marks Medvedev's 23rd career title and his second championship of the year, following his win in Brisbane in January. The Dubai title is also the first time in the 30-year-old player's career that he has won a single event twice, having previously claimed victory there in 2023.

Medvedev (center) receives the championship trophy on Center Court at the Aviation Club Tennis complex, Dubai, UAE on 28/2. Photo: ATP

This victory also solidified Medvedev's 11th position in the ATP rankings and narrowed the gap with world number 10 Alexander Bublik. The difference between the two players is now just 45 points. Medvedev was last in the top 10 in June last year.

With his 21st hard-court title, Medvedev now shares the second spot with Jannik Sinner for the most hard-court championships among active players. Novak Djokovic leads the list with 72 hard-court titles.

After Dubai, Medvedev's next stops are in the United States for two Masters 1000 events: Indian Wells and Miami. The Russian player has won Indian Wells twice before.

Due to escalating tensions in the Middle East stemming from the US-Iran conflict, Medvedev and other players faced disruptions as all flights departing Dubai were canceled until further notice.

According to The Athletic, Medvedev's representatives stated they are working to get the Dubai champion out of the UAE. This needs to happen before the Indian Wells Masters, which is scheduled to begin in California next week.

The good news for Medvedev is that he will not have to play until next Friday or Saturday, as he receives a first-round bye. However, the travel disruption will likely affect his preparation for the year's first Masters 1000 tournament.

Vy Anh