Five years since she made her debut at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, former World No1 Naomi Osaka has joined a glittering roster of players who will compete in the region’s premier women’s tournament.
Osaka had taken a 15-month break from competitive action as she gave birth to her daughter, Shai, in July before making a comeback at the Brisbane International and Australian Open last month. She has also made appearances at both the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open and the ongoing Qatar Open – where she has reached the round of 16.
Osaka joins the star-studded lineup, featuring 17 of the world’s top 20 players, for the WTA Tour event which was recently awarded permanent WTA 1000 status.
World No.1 Iga Swiatek, two-time Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka and 2023 US Open winner Coco Gauff will feature alongside the Japanese star at the 24th edition of the WTA Tour tournament.
Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free, said on Osaka’s participation at the upcoming tournament: “It is with great pleasure that we welcome Naomi back to Dubai for the latest instalment of the WTA tournament, with many of the world’s best female players competing in the event.”
Osaka, a two-time winner at both the US Open and Australian Open, has spoken candidly about her mental health battles – most notably in an intimate and insightful Netflix documentary into her world.
Ranked a modest 48 in the world, Osaka then 20, reached the quarterfinals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in 2018 as a wildcard. It was after defeat to top seed Elina Svitolina that she took her first steps to stardom by winning the Indian Wells title, and just a few months later she stunned the tennis world, with a historic victory over Serena Williams in the US Open final.
Oaska is also the first Asian player to hold the top ranking in women’s singles.
“We’re delighted to have Naomi with us in Dubai for this year’s tournament,” added Salah Tahlak, Joint COO of Dubai Duty Free and Tournament Director of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
“We have such a strong women’s lineup this year, so having someone of Naomi’s pedigree and stature is even more good news.”
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free and held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Tickets for both the women’s WTA tournament and the men’s ATP event remain available to purchase at www.dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com.
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