Stellar Line-Up For Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Announced
A stellar line-up featuring six of the world’s top ten men including world number one Novak Djokovic and reigning Dubai Champion Roger Federer will converge on Dubai next month to contest one of the most coveted titles in world tennis.
Federer will bid for his sixth Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title, and Djokovic his fourth, but both will face a formidable challenge from a field that includes top 10 rivals Tomas Berdych, Juan Martin Del Potro, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Janko Tipsarevic.
“Once again we are thrilled to announce that an incredible line up of stars will be coming to the Tournament”, said Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of owners and organisers Dubai Duty Free.
“Not only will the Championships be showcasing six of the top 10 men, including the best two players in the world, but tennis fans here will have their first opportunity to see for themselves some of the most exciting young players on the ATP World Tour. We can look forward to a wonderful week of sport from many of the most talented players ever to have played the game’ he added.
Berdych, currently ranked 6th, has consistently maintained his place at the top of the game, and showed he is a threat to anyone by reaching the 2010 Wimbledon final, claiming eight career singles titles and leading the Czech Republic to the 2012 Davis Cup title. He knocked Federer out of the US Open last year so poses a serious threat to the current champion’s title defence.
Del Potro has fought his way back up the rankings after injury interrupted his career following his capture of the 2009 US Open. He won four titles last season to bring his haul to an impressive 13, along the way notching up two victories over Federer and denying Djokovic the Bronze medal at the London Olympics.
Tsonga is widely applauded as one of the most exciting players on the ATP World Tour, demonstrating his talent by outplaying Federer in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon in 2011, while Djokovic’s Serbian compatriot Janko Tipsarevic has also firmly established himself as a top contender wherever he plays, as he proved by beginning the 2013 season by winning the title in Chennai.
But it is not just the top ten Federer and Djokovic need to be concerned about, with players such as tennis hotshot Bernard Tomic also in the line-up. Tomic has thrilled both the Australian public and the tennis world with his stunning start to the year, upsetting Djokovic in straight sets at the Hopman Cup, and following up the next week by claiming his first career title in Sydney.
With so many talented players in the draw the stage is set for a thrilling week of top tennis action.
The ATP World Tour event takes place between 25 February and 2 March and follows the WTA tournament that features an incredible nine of the world’s top 10. Beginning on 18 February, the greatest tennis show in the Middle East will feature Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams as well as former Grand Slam winners Petra Kvitova, Li Na, Ana Ivanovic and Samantha Stosur.
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free and held under the patronage of HH. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Tickets for the event are on sale from the Box Office at the Dubai Tennis Stadium, Garhoud which is open from 9am to 9pm daily. Grandstand ticket prices range from 50dhs for opening rounds to 450dhs for finals, with season tickets also available.
Grandstand tickets can also be bought online at http://www.timeouttickets.com.
Emirate: Dubai
Date: Jan 17, 2013
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