The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

Dubai Women's Open, 20th – 25th February 2012
Dubai Men’s Open, 27th February - 3rd March 2012

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About The Venue

The Aviation Club Tennis Centre

The Aviation Club Tennis Centre has been home to The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships since its inauguration in 1993. Now in its 20th year, the tournament owners and organizers Dubai Duty Free are rightly proud of one of the most popular and competitive events on the world circuit.

Staged at the Dubai Tennis Stadium in Garhoud, the tournament will run from the 20th February to March 3rd with the non-stop action commencing with the $2 million WTA event, followed on 27 February by the 20th staging of the $2 million ATP tournament.

Spectators are welcome to enjoy the picturesque surroundings of the Aviation Club, that include the hugely popular Irish Village (voted best pub by What’s On! magazine) and Century Village. Apart from its vast variety of dining options, the Aviation Club offers an extensive range of recreational and entertainment facilities such as their very own gym and the Akaru Spa.

The Aviation Clubhouse is restricted to members, players, officials, VIPs and corporate sponsors only for the week of the tournament.

The Dubai Tennis Stadium

Officially inaugurated in February 1996, the Dubai Tennis Stadium has been voted “Best Venue” by players on the ATP World Tour. The stadium has become a magnet for people seeking entertainment in Dubai. Located in the grounds of the Aviation Club Tennis Centre, the stadium is completely self-contained. The stadium comprises a 5,000 seat centre court, VIP area and Royal enclosure, press office, press interview rooms, WTA and ATP World Tour offices, TV commentary boxes and changing rooms.

When not being used for the Dubai Tennis Championships the stadium is also a leading concert venue, having played to acts such as Sting, Gerri Haliwell, Bryan Adams, Enrique Iglesias, Gloria Gaynor, Coolio, Shaggy, Sash, Maxi Priest, Big Mountain and Bally Sagoo, while former world boxing champion, Chris Eubank, staged his first Middle East bout on centre court in 1997.

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Exhibition Area

Walk through the Dubai Tennis Championships exhibition area and you will find a host of products displayed by many of the sponsors who are supporting the tournament this year. The Exhibition Area is to be found on the South side of the stadium.

Venue Facilities

Gym

The Club boasts a spacious gymnasium with the latest resistance and 'cross training' cardiovascular exercise equipment.

Fitness is taken very seriously at The Aviation Club. Fully qualified Personal Trainers help you achieve the highest level of proficiency by developing a specific programme tailored to meet your individual requirements.

The Group Exercise Membership – GX classes- offers up to 200 classes per month: Body Pump, Body Combat, Body Attack, Body Balance, RPM, Cardio & Core, Boot Camp and the latest TRX suspension Training, that is currently exclusive to The Aviation Club.

These fitness facilities are complemented by a two-level temperature controlled swimming pool, with 25-metre lap lanes. The pool sundeck has been recently expanded to accommodate greater demand from the members while keeping the level of comfort at its best. Two squash courts and ten flood-lit tennis courts including the famous Dubai Tennis Stadium are available for the racket enthusiasts.

The Akuru Spa

The Akaru Spa offers various treatments ranging from facials to body wraps and massages. World-renowned brands such as Guinot, Pevonia and Payot are used for complete beauty programmes. Slimming and firming as well as non-surgical face lifting have all become Akaru’s signature treatments in the city and have earned the Spa the title of one of the two best Spas in Dubai by “Vogue Magazine”. A dedicated male spa offers the same level of service and quality.

Eating Out In the Aviation Club

The Aviation Club offers a variety of dining and entertainment options in its 15 different outlets.

The Cellar - The Cellar serves modern international specialties and original recipes based on market fresh ingredients. A wide selection of excellent wines complements the cuisine and can be savoured at the monthly themed wine evenings. Award-winning Brunches make The Cellar a very popular and busy venue on Friday and Saturday.

The Rainbow Room - The perfect venue for banquets; be it a wedding, a corporate meeting or a function, the Rainbow Room accommodates parties of up to 450, with doors opening onto the pool terrace. Regular comedy evenings are held here as well.

The Coffee Bean - A Health Club café, it offers a variety of snacks and daily specials from a deli-style counter and salad bar.

The Irish Village

Since its opening in October 1996, The Irish Village has always been perceived as a small piece of Ireland in the heart of Dubai. Its authenticity comes from the settings as well as the Irish materials and craftsmanship used in its construction, all of which have been imported from the Emerald Isle.

The Irish designers were so adamant in replicating the true atmosphere of a rural Irish pub that they did not hesitate to ship and reassemble on site all props and décor items used, like the telephone box, the shop windows bric-a-brac, the cart, barrels as well as the lampposts. Even the paving stones on the terrace were brought all the way from Liscannor in County Clare, on the west coast of Ireland!
The interior of the pub with its long wooden bar, its old style benches, stained-glass enclosures as well as the antique pieces used on its elaborately painted walls takes you back to the times when a visit to the pub was more of a community habit than anything else.

Over the years, The Irish Village outdoor area was extended to offer a spacious terrace overlooking the lake and lush gardens where patrons can enjoy the green settings on a family day out. To bring another touch of authenticity to the place, a life-size bronze sculpture of three traditional Irish musicians was installed in the center of The Village terrace. The sculpture, entitled “The Session” was commissioned in Ireland and created by Irish artist Austin McQuinn then shipped to Dubai where it was proudly unveiled by the then Irish Prime Minister, An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, T.D.

The food at the Irish Village has been awarded “Best Pub Food” by Dubai residents in different media polls over the years. The Irish menu created by Dubliner Chef Mark Taquet combines original recipes with traditional ones using Irish imports. The choice of dishes is carefully made to offer regular guests their favourite while enticing new visitors to discover typical Irish dishes. Flavours and scents of home cooking prevail at lunch and dinner time and add to the welcoming atmosphere.

The Irish Village, voted as “Best Concert Venue” has hosted various gigs and concerts on a regular basis showcasing both international and local artists including Ali Campbell, Sir Bob Geldof, Paolo Nutini and Beverly Knight; Clannad, Aslan or ZU2 (a tribute to U2) and to more cultural events like ‘The Gathering”. These events usually draw some 2,000 to 3,000 people who genuinely like to have fun!

Another big must at the Irish Village is St Patrick’s Day when everyone wears green in celebration of Ireland’s National Day and where a string of Irish dancers and musicians take to the stage for wonderful performances. New Year’s Eve at The Irish Village is also a big affair that is much loved by Dubai’s younger crowd.

Over the years The Irish Village has become synonymous with “Dubai’s best kept secret”, it is no surprise to see it regularly featured in many tourist guides as one of the ‘Best Attractions in the Emirate’ and “One of the world’s great meeting places”.

The Century Village

The Century Village is a culinary haven where 10 different world cuisines can be savoured; the outdoor settings make it one of Dubai’s favourite venues for Al Fresco dining and family outings.

The Century Village’s ten licensed restaurants serve Lebanese, Italian, Portuguese, French, British, Japanese, Persian, Indian, Mediterranean an Seafood cuisines.

Whatever your dining choice, Century Village has it!

Please visit www.centuryvillage.ae for more details.

Jumeirah Creekside Hotel

The Jumeirah Creekside Hotel is situated in a prime location in Al Garhoud, Dubai, overlooking the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. The property is less than five minutes from Dubai International Airport and less than ten minutes from the Dubai Financial Center and the Trade / Convention Center.

The 9-storey five star hotel has 293 guest rooms made up of suites, executive and standard rooms along with full ancillary F&B and meeting facilities. There are extensive landscaped gardens on all sides.
Designed in a contemporary style, it is quietly confident with an emphasis on quality in materials and workmanship.

The lobby lounge and the adjacent cocktail bar open on to the nine level main atrium. In addition there are six meeting rooms and a business center with access to the main function hall that can accommodate up to 475 people. A small retail area located off the lobby houses five outlets.

The eighth floor boasts a superb temperature controlled 25-meter lap pool and a poolside café bar commanding stunning views over the city.

Underground car parking is provided for 390 vehicles and is already in operation while the hotel is nearing completion and ready for occupancy in mid 2012.

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