Russian Andrey Rublev and Canada's Denis Shapovalov, second and third favorites, respectively, and South African Lloyd Harris and Aslan Karatsev, survive as title contenders of the Dubai tournament. The quartet of candidates establishes the configuration of the semifinals that will have a Russian duel between Rublev and Karatsev on the one hand, and Shapovalov and Harris on the other.
They are the survivors of the quarterfinals. Rublev is on the right track that he found last year as one of the best on the circuit. It is his fourth semi-final of a course in which he already holds a title, in Rotterdam to bring his career successes to eight. He beat Hungarian Marton Fucsovics, 44 in the ATP ranking, in two sets 7-5 and 6-2 in an hour and a half.
It is the third time in 2021 that Rublev stops the aspirations of the Hungarian who has already won in four of the six matches they have had.. Rublev waits in the semifinals for his compatriot Karatsev who is aiming in Dubai to reach his first final. He gave the surprise of the day by beating Italian Jannik Sinner, seeded 16th, after brilliantly culminating a comeback. He won 6-7 (5), 6-3 and 6-2 against one of the most promising players on the circuit.
On the other side of the picture, Shapovalov did not fail. The Canadian, twelfth in the world, beat Frenchman Jeremy Chardy in 84 minutes (7-5 and 6-4). The finalist of the Masters 1000 in Paris two years ago is aiming for the third final of his career to add his second success after Stockholm in 2019. The third seed will face South African Lloyd Harris, without a title in his history but finalist in Adelaide in the past year. The 24-year-old Cape Town player beat Japanese Kei Nishikori (6-1, 3-6, 6-3), who regained the solidity of yesteryear.