Félix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal secured a spot in the semifinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships with a straight-sets victory over Jiri Lehecka. The top seed dominated with his serve in a 6-3, 7-6 (2) win on Thursday. He now faces Daniil Medvedev in the next round.
Félix Auger-Aliassime delivered a strong performance at the ATP 500 event in Dubai, defeating eighth-seeded Jiri Lehecka of Czechia 6-3, 7-6 (2). The 25-year-old Canadian fired 16 aces, captured 83 percent of his first-serve points, and saved both break points he encountered during the match. Auger-Aliassime broke Lehecka's serve twice and took control in the second-set tiebreak to advance without dropping a set in his three matches so far in the tournament.
This victory marks Auger-Aliassime's third consecutive tour-level semifinal, following his title win in Montpellier and a runner-up finish in Rotterdam. He has compiled an 11-1 record in February and stands at 12-3 for the season. Reflecting on his progress, Auger-Aliassime expressed determination to reach the final again, having lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas in last year's championship match.
In the semifinals, Auger-Aliassime will meet third-seeded Daniil Medvedev of Russia, who progressed with a 6-2, 6-1 triumph over Jenson Brooksby. This will be Medvedev's third Dubai semifinal in the past four years. Auger-Aliassime has a mixed history against Medvedev, dropping their first seven encounters before prevailing in the last two—at the 2024 Paris Olympics and in Doha the previous year.
Discussing the matchup, Auger-Aliassime noted the contrasting styles: “We have very different game styles. I’m going to try to come forward, he will try and make me miss. We’ll see who gets the better of the game plan. He’s had the better of me … It took me seven or eight times before beating him.” The semifinal winner will proceed to Sunday's final.