We are down to just eight men in the 2025 ATP Dubai Tennis Championships. Top seed Daniil Medvedev remains in the hunt for his second title in this tournament, but there is still healthy competition in the field. Matteo Berrettini will contest his second quarterfinal of this year’s Middle East Swing and hoping for a different outcome from last week. Who will reach the semifinal?
ATP Dubai Quarterfinal Predictions
Luca Nardi vs Quentin Halys
Head-to-head: Halys 1-0 Nardi
Quentin Halys had never won a main draw match in two previous visits to Dubai. And the odds were stacked against him when he drew Andrey Rublev right off the bat after his successful qualifying campaign. A powerful serve and a clean baseline game is the sort of combination that has made Halys quite a handful this week. He looks unstoppable in this form. He’ll use those tools to overpower Nardi and extend his magical run.
Prediction: Halys in 2
Daniil Medvedev vs Tallon Griekspoor
Head-to-head: first meeting
Daniil Medvedev produced a ten out of ten return masterclass to snuff out the big-serving Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4 6-4. This has been a very encouraging week for Medvedev who also defeated Jan-Lennard Struff in straight sets in his opening match. Tallon Griekspoor, meanwhile, upset defending champion Ugo Humbert in three sets. Griekspoor’s victory ensures there won’t be a repeat of last year’s semifinal between Medvedev and the Frenchman. It is a massive week for the former world #1 who is having to prove his doubters wrong. If he plays with the same level of focus and aggression—something we haven’t seen from him in a long time—there’s no reason he won’t reach his third successive semifinal at this tournament.
Prediction: Medvedev in 2
Marin Cilic vs Felix Auger-Aliassime
Head-to-head: Cilic 3-1 Auger-Aliassime
A rejuvenated Marin Cilic finds himself in the quarterfinal in just his second tournament of 2025. This is unexpected considering the tough draw he had. Regardless of his injury problems, when Cilic’s game is firing on all cylinders he can always leave a serious dent on opponents. And that’s exactly what has transpired with big victories over the Australian duo of Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin.
Auger-Aliassime, meanwhile, required two dramatic three-set matches to secure his maiden quarterfinal spot in Dubai. It will be interesting to see the effect back-to-back matches will have on Cilic’s body given his physical struggles in the last two years. The Croatian is capable of making this competitive for two sets, but Auger-Aliassime’s superior movement and explosive power will hurt him if this goes the distance.
Prediction: Auger-Aliassime in 3
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Matteo Berrettini
Head-to-head: Tsitsipas 3-1 Berrettini
Each of Stefanos Tsitsipas’ last two appearances in Dubai yielded a runner-up finish. The Greek enjoys playing in this part of the continent. He’s also maintained his record of having never lost before the quarterfinal after a late-night three-set win over Karen Khachanov. Not that Tsitsipas will care, but the Russian’s lack of depth and some poorly executed volleys right at the end cost him.
Matteo Berrettini had locked his quarterfinal spot with a convincing straight-sets win over Christopher O’Connell. It was his fourth win in the Middle East (quarterfinalist in Doha). Tsitsipas and Berrettini possess two forehands of the absolute top drawer, but the backhands need more work. Still, Berrettini’s ability to adjust and vary his one-hander gives him a greater advantage to gain an upper hand in rallies and if he can direct traffic to Tsitsipas’ weaker wing, he’ll profit.
Prediction: Berrettini in 3
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
