Daniil Medvedev picked up where he left off a week ago with a second straight defeat of China’s Shang Juncheng to set up a showdown at the ATP Dubai event with Stan Wawrinka.

Medvedev, who turned 30 this month, defeated a limping opponent 6-1, 6-3 seven days after sending Shang out in Doha in straight sets.

The third seed booked a Wednesday appointment with three-time Grand Slam winner Wawrinka, a fellow former champion at the Aviation club who is playing his final season at age 40.

Medvedev won the title in Brisbane last month prior to the Australian Open, where the former No. 1 now ranked 11th reached the fourth round.

He won the Dubai title in 2023 while Wawrinka was champion a decade ago.

Medvedv had the edge over the 262nd-ranked Shang, who suffered with a foot injury in 2025.

That problem came back to haunt him in the closing stages of the 66-minute loss to Medvedev, with the Chinese outsider noticeably limping on his dodgy right foot.

“I needed to play the same tactics and level that I had last week” the winner said. “We both knew what we had to do – it just depends on who is playing better.”

Medvedev, who lost a quarter-final here a year ago after holding four match points, added:

“The first set was great, I was serving well in the big moments and breaking him.

“The second was 50-50 and I could tell he was injured a bit. I’m happy I was able to win. I noticed he was suffering a bit in the long rallies (due to heat).”

Medvedev beat Wawrinka a year ago in Rotterdam, their last meeting; the pair of veterans have also faced off at three of the four Grand Slams dating to Wimbledon, 2017.

Felix Auger Aliassime put down an early rebellion from China’s Zhizhen Zhang on Monday to start his quest for a first title at the ATP Dubai event with a 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory.

The Canadian who lost the 2025 final against Stefanos Tsitsipas had to work hard in the opening against an opponent competing with a protected ranking as he makes a return from injury.

World No. 8 FAA has experienced his biggest success on hardcourt, winning 

all 10 of his ATP Tour titles on the surface.

The Canadian began the match with breaks in the first and final games of his Asian opponent to claim the opener.

The top seed sent over 11 aces but only broke serve twice from 11 chances. Zhang missed on four opportunities to get to the Canadian’s serve

FAA clinched victory on his sixth match point

“I stopped counting at some point, it was getting too frustrating,”the winner said.

“Having match points is the position you want to be in as a player, but it’s weird how the mind plays a trick on you. 

“How much further I am from losing than he is, he should be the one that’s tight. But I told myself ‘If there is a third set, I’ll be there’.”

He moves into a second-round match as the Canadian re-starts his game following a first-round exit last month at the Australian Open. he has won nine of his past 10 matches, including a title Montpellier and a Rotterdam runner-slot.

Alex de Minaur broke his duck with the Rotterdam title, ending a win streak of Felix Auger Aliassime on his way to the trophy on his third attempt.

The eighth-ranked Australian defeated his Canadian rival 6-3, 6-2 in Sunday’s 78-minute final of the 500 series event and will rise to sixth in the rankings.

FAA was treated for a medical problem midway through the second set as the end drew closer for the winner of last week’s Montpellier stop on the Tour.

“That’s what it’s all about: just doing my best to rise to the occasion,” the winner said after claiming victory without facing a break point.

“As the tournament goes on, you try and find ways out of solutions and try to give yourself the best chance to play better the following day, and I did exactly that. I’m super pleased with the performance today.

“Third time lucky… I’m super stoked, super happy. It ended up being a great week here in Rotterdam. It’s a place where I always feel really good. 

“I was just a step short in the previous years, so it feels great to finally be able to lift the title.”

De Minaur had lost the previous two Rotterdam finals to the current top two in the world: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Auger Aliassime, 2023 titleholder here, missed out on the ninth indoor title of his career as he took the loss.

“We’ve played a lot of matches throughout the years… I tried my best today, but you were just a little bit too good. [It’s your] third time in the final here, so congrats on the win,” the Canadian said.