Making his last appearance at this tournament after announcing he would be retiring at the end of 2026, three-time major winner Wawrinka was unable to find any rhythm against the 2021 US Open champion, saying goodbye to Dubai after an hour and 13 minutes.
Medvedev was far too good from the back of the court for his 40-year-old opponent, suffocating him with his relentless depth and retrieval skills, as the heat also took a toll on Wawrinka.
The champion back in 2016, Wawrinka made his first appearance in Dubai 20 years ago, and was given a presentation at the end of the match to celebrate his illustrious career.
Meanwhile, Medvedev will be hoping to end his Middle Eastern swing on a high, following his last-16 defeat to Stefanos Tsitsipas in Doha last week.
He will face either fellow Russian and good friend Karen Khachanov or Jenson Brooksby in the quarter-finals.