Djokovic vs. Medvedev in Dubai Championships semi-finals

Victory over the fifth seed helped Djokovic extend the winning streak from the beginning of 2023 to 15 matches. The Serbian has only had three years to start the season with a longer winning streak, in 2013 (17 games), 2020 (26 matches) and 2011 (41 matches).

The steady serve helped Djokovic not have to save any break-points in the match against Hurkacz. The pressure only came on Nole in the 10th game of the second set, when he was 0-30 in the serve game. Djokovic won four straight points to keep the game, before having a series of chances to win the next catch game. A left-hand shot helped Nole finish the return game, then won 7-5 in the second set.

"When I was 0-30, 4-5 in the second set, I served and hit well," said Djokovic after the match. "One or two points can decide this kind of match. The two players don't have a big gap in the game. I'm satisfied with the way I handle the pressure."

Djokovic extended his winning streak against Hurkacz to five matches. If crowned at the Dubai Championships, Djokovic will rise to third on the list of players to win the most ATP tournaments, with the same 94 titles as Ivan Lendl.

In the semi-finals, Djokovic will meet Daniil Medvedev. The Russian tennis player won 21 consecutive points at the end of the match against Borna Coric in the quarterfinals. Victory 6-3, 6-2 helped Medvedev reach the semi-finals of the third ATP tournament in a row. In the last two weeks, he won the ATP 500 in Rotterdam and the ATP 250 in Doha. The other semi-final at the Dubai Championships is between Alexander Zverev and Andrey Rublev.

Medvedev is on a 12-match winning streak, since the Australian Open. He will try to improve his record of four wins - nine losses when facing Nole. "Obviously I'm playing well," said the world number seven. "But when you meet Novak, Novak is always at the top."