The final countdown has begun and just over a week for l the start of the much-anticipated annual tennis showpiece – the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
The fortnight long event promises a star-studded lineup for both its annual WTA 1000 tournament and the proceeding ATP 500 men’s event.
Running back-to-back from February 18 to March 2, the non-stop action will as ever take place at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, offering fans from across the region a chance to watch elite athletes compete for their chance to lift the Emirate’s two illustrious trophies.
Among the confirmed participants for the WTA event is four-time Grand Slam winner and current World No.1, Iga Swiatek.
Swiatek, who suffered a shock loss to unseeded Linda Noskova in the third round of last month’s Australian Open, will be determined to redeem herself in Dubai, especially after falling in last year’s final to world No11 Barbara Krejcikova.
The 22-year-old Polish sensation currently holds the top spot in the official WTA rankings with 9770 points, boasting an 865-point lead over two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, who will also be competing in Dubai.
Having maintained her position at No1 for 89 weeks, Swiatek is set to jet in to Dubai looking to add Dubai to her growing list of titles for the first time.
A win in the Emirate would extend her lead to 1,395 points and bring her closer to the 100-week milestone as the world’s top-ranked female player.
The last player to reach the milestone was Ashleigh Barty, who recorded 121 weeks at the top of the standings before retiring in March 2022.
“Each year, we look to attract the world’s best players to our tournament,” said Salah Tahlak, Joint COO of Dubai Duty Free and Tournament Director of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
“We are obviously delighted to have Iga joining us again. To have the world’s top-ranked female player compete in Dubai is great for the tournament, great for the city, and of course great for Iga too as the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships has regularly been voted ‘Tournament of the Year’ by players on both the ATP and WTA Tour.”
With 17 of the world’s top 20 female players, including Swiatek, world No3 Coco Gauff, and world No5 Elena Rybakina confirmed, this year’s WTA tournament – which recently had its 1000 status made permanent – has one of its strongest fields on record.
And with only 10 days until the first round gets underway, fans are being urged to buy their tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free and held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
In addition to the world-class tennis action, the tournament promises an enticing fan village with a variety of activities, games, and F&B options, catering to sports enthusiasts and families alike.
Tickets for both the women’s WTA tournament and the men’s ATP event are available for purchase online at www.dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com. With demand high, fans are encouraged to secure their tickets promptly as they are selling out fast.
AlSO READ