Russia’s Daniil Medvedev holds the Dubai Championships trophy after beating compatriot Andrey Rublev in the final on Saturday, March 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Daniil Medvedev won his 18th ATP Tour title and third in a row by defeating Andrey Rublev 6-2, 6-2 on Saturday in an all-Russian final at the Dubai Championships.

The former world number one extended his winning streak to 14 in a run that began on February 14 and included back-to-back titles in Rotterdam and Doha.

Medvedev, who is currently in the midst of the second-longest winning streak of his career, has beaten Rublev twice in each set and won the last five matches on hard courts.

Rublev was the defending champion, but he quickly fell and couldn’t hold his serve in the opener.

In the semi-finals, Medvedev inflicted his first defeat of the year on the first, Novak Djokovic.

The 2021 US Open champion edged out Briton Andy Murray to win the Qatar Open last week and beat Jannik Sinner in the Rotterdam final

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