In Dubai, Russia’s No. 2 player, Andrey Rublev, advanced to the semi finals of the ATP 500 event after a strong run on the court.
His quarterfinal showdown pitted him against American Sebastian Korda. As the match progressed, Korda withdrew in the second set when Rublev led 6:4 and 4:3. The contest had already lasted 1 hour and 8 minutes. Across all encounters between the two, Rublev had never tasted defeat, having won each of their four previous meetings.
Rublev, currently ranked fifth by the Association of Tennis Professionals, was set to face Alexander Bublik, the seventh seed in the tournament and a compatriot from Kazakhstan, in the bid to reach the final.
Prize money at the event in the United Arab Emirates surpassed $2.9 million, underscoring the strong incentive for players to go deep into the draw. The tournament was scheduled to conclude on March 2. The most recent champion at that time was Daniil Medvedev, another Russian player, who had defeated Rublev in the final to claim the title.
In the broader context of international competition, Russian players have often competed under neutral banners in recent seasons. This approach has been used in numerous tour events and impacted participation at certain major tournaments, including Wimbledon in 2022 when British organizers restricted athletes from certain nations from competing under their home country’s flag.
A separate notable development involved a former American tennis player who faced disqualification over a doping violation, highlighting the ongoing regulatory actions that accompany the sport at all levels.