Hot Field Promises To Serve Up Exciting Action

© Dubai Duty Free Tennis ChampionshipsNovak Djokovic is bidding for a record fourth successive title in Dubai.

A fantastic eight of the world’s top 10 players will line up fight it out for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships trophy when play gets underway on 27th February, with world number one, Australian Open winner and defending Dubai champion Novak Djokovic heading the spectacular field.

He will be bidding to win a record-breaking fourth consecutive Dubai crown, and opens his campaign against Cedrik-Marcel Stebe of Germany.

Roger Federer, who won the title in 2003-5 and again in 2007, is seeded two, and he faces a potentially difficult first round challenge against in-form Frenchman Michael Llodra, who is currently through to the semi-finals in Marseilles. The Swiss former world number one could then clash with two-time finalist Feliciano Lopez, the opponent he defeated to win the title in 2004.

Third seeded Andy Murray plays one of three qualifiers in his quarter of the draw, and he could then face former top five opponent Nikolay Davydenko in the second round and former Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals.

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But the draw of the round is the intriguing battle between fourth seed and Wimbledon semi-finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and 2010 Dubai semi-finalist Marcos Baghdatis.

Baghdatis has excelled this season, reaching the semi-finals of both Sydney and Zagreb, while Tsonga has also been in fine form, winning Doha. He is also currently through to the semi-finals in Marseilles.

A wild card has been awarded to Marko Djokovic, younger brother of Novak, and he faces a qualifier. Other wild cards have gone to the UAE’s Omar Awadhy, who plays Sergiy Stakhovsky, and to Sergei Bubka, who also plays a qualifier.

Once again the draw has produced several captivating first round matches, said Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of Tournament Owners and Organisers Dubai Duty Free. “Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will be concerned at having drawn such a dangerous opponent as Marcos Baghdatis, and Roger Federer also faces a difficult opening match against Michael Llodra”.

With such a stellar field it will be fascinating to see if Novak Djokovic can win in Dubai yet again, and whether Federer can claim back the title he has won so many times before.

All the action gets underway at the Dubai Tennis Stadium on Monday February 27th, with the finals taking place on Saturday 3rd March.

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The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free and held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Tickets for the event are available from the Box Office at the Dubai Tennis Stadium, Garhoud which opens from 9am to 9pm daily. Grandstand tickets can also be bought online at http://www.timeouttickets.com/. For further information about tickets, prices and tournaments visit http://www.dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com/ or phone the call centre on +971 4 358 9797.