Dubai: Former champs return as DDF tennis ready to serve up an ace
The 33rd edition of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships will get underway in less than 10 days, welcoming back four former champions to the emirate. Defending titleholder Ugo Humbert will be joined by the winners of the previous three editions in 2023 champion Daniil Medvedev, 2022 winner Andrey Rublev, and 2021 victor Aslan Karatsev.
The Championships' on-court action begins on February 16 with the 25th anniversary of Dubai's week-long WTA 1000 tournament, followed by the ATP 500 event starting February 24.
Providing a fortnight of world-class competition at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium in Al Garhoud, the Championships hold much promise.
Medvedev, currently ranked No7, is the 2021 US Open champion and the top seed in a packed field. Also in the mix are 2014 US Open champion Marin Čilić and two-time Dubai finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas. Matteo Berrettini, who reached the Wimbledon final in 2021, adds further strength to the draw.
This year's women's event is particularly special, marking 25 years of the WTA tournament in Dubai, a major milestone in the region's tennis evolution. Defending champion Jasmine Paolini returns to defend her title but will face stiff competition from a star-studded field that includes nine of the top 10, including World No1 Aryna Sabalenka. With a vast majority of the top 40-ranked players all confirming their participation, even if there are injury-forced withdrawals pre-tournament it promises to be the most competitive draw in the event's history.
Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free and Chairman of the tournament's Organising Committee, said: 'Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is well positioned as one of the premier stops on both the WTA and ATP tours. Every year, we witness incredible competition, and Dubai continues to be a destination that players and fans look forward to. This year is no different, and it's always fascinating to see former champions returning to the Championships. We look forward to one of the best editions of the event yet.'
Salah Tahlak, Tournament Director and Deputy Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, added: 'Having four champions return to this year's ATP event makes it even more exciting, and we've worked hard to ensure this year's edition lives up to its legacy of more than three decades. With nine of the women's top-10 ranked players confirmed, the WTA line-up speaks for itself. It's going to be an unforgettable couple of weeks.'
With just days to go, anticipation is growing rapidly and fans are encouraged to secure their seats as soon as possible, with Grandstand tickets starting from just Dh55. Tickets are available online at dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com and ticketmaster.ae, as well as at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium Box Office from 9am to 9pm daily.
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