World number one Novak Djokovic remained unbeaten this season after dispatching Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 7-5 on Thursday to advance to the semifinals of the Dubai tournament.
A five-time champion on the hard courts of Dubai, Djokovic met former number one Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals. The Russian scored 6-3, 6-2 from Croatian Borna Coric.
The Serbian star maintains a streak of 20 victories that dates back to the end of last season.
Djokovic, 35, is playing his first tournament since winning the Australian Open in late January, tying Rafael Nadal for the all-time record for Grand Slam titles — a total of 22 — among men. He earned his 10th title at Melbourne Park despite suffering a partial tear in the back of his left thigh.
His mark this year is 15-0. He hasn’t lost since he lost to Holger Rune in the Paris Masters final last November. Immediately afterwards, he won the ATP Masters Cup title in Turin.
The Russian Andrey Rublev, defending champion in Dubai, will face the German Alexander Zverev in the other semifinal duel.
Rublev advanced after defeating Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands 6-3, 7-6 (3), while Zverev edged out Lorenzo Sonego of Italy 7-5, 6-4.
It will be Zverev’s first semifinal since the French Open in June, when he sprained his right ankle against Nadal. The Olympic champion at the Tokyo Games underwent surgery days later to repair torn ligaments.
“It has been a very difficult nine months,” said Zverev, 25. “The hard work has started to pay dividends and I am very happy with the progress that can be seen and my current level.”
Rublev, sixth in the ranking, was mixed in the semifinals for the third consecutive year.
