Medvedev joins elite field at DDF Tennis Championships

Reigning Dubai Duty Free (DDF) Tennis Championship winner Daniil Medvedev has confirmed his participation in the 32nd edition of the ATP 500 tournament next month, alongside Andrey Rublev, the man he defeated to clinch his maiden Dubai crown. Four of the world’s top eight female players have also signed up, ahead of the Jan.22 deadline, to compete in the preceding week’s WTA 1000 event.

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. The WTA and ATP tournaments will run back-to-back from Feb.18 to March 2 and have consistently attracted an elite group of participants since their inception in 1993 and 2001 respectively. For now, Medvedev and Rublev, currently ranked No3 and No5 in the world, will be joined in Dubai by 2021 Wimbledon semi-finalist and World No9 Hubert Hurkacz, as well as Karen Kachanov, last year’s Australian Open semi-finalist and current World No15. Other names will be added to the lineup for the 32nd edition of the ATP Tour event in the coming days.

Meanwhile, the 24th edition of the WTA Tour tournament – which has been appointed permanent WTA 1000 status after rotating with Doha in recent years – is expected to feature almost all of the world’s top 20, with Elena Rybakina (No3), Jessica Pegula (No5), Ons Jabeur (No6), and Maria Sakkari (No8) the first to be confirmed.

Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free, is again looking forward to welcoming some of the world’s best players to the city, highlighting the significance that WTA 1000 status will have on the tournament’s overall recognition. “For many years, Dubai has featured the world’s best male and female tennis players, so we are pleased to announce our first batch of elite male and female stars for this year’s tournament,” said McLoughlin. “Having the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships as a permanent fixture on the WTA 1000 ranking serves as a true testament to the tournament’s progress over the past two decades.”

Tickets for both the women’s WTA tournament and the men’s ATP event are available for purchase online on Jan.15 at www.dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com.  Fans are strongly advised to purchase tickets in advance of the tournament, with the Dubai Duty Free Stadium Box Office only open closer to the event.

A numbered seating system will also be reintroduced this year. Operating in the Lower Grandstand for ATP week, Prime A and Prime B class tickets for both ATP and WTA week will also follow this system. Meanwhile, Upper Grandstand seating during both ATP and WTA week will be free seating, with the Lower Grandstand also unreserved during the first week of action.

Ramesh Cidambi, COO of Dubai Duty Free and Chair of the tournament’s organising committee, said: “We are delighted that this Championship continues to grow in prominence, further highlighted by the WTA Tour awarding the tournament WTA 1000 status. Reserved seating is just one change to this year’s tournament, we have also made further upgrades and investments to ensure the comfort and enjoyment of our players and spectators.”

Salah Tahlak, Joint COO of Dubai Duty Free and Tournament Director of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, added: “Every year, our tournament grows both in popularity and prominence, and the 2024 tournament promises to be one more thrilling showcase of tennis excellence, with the world’s top stars competing in Dubai. We anticipate a dramatic fortnight of tennis as the sport’s top players jostle for supremacy.”

The 2024 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships men’s tournament is preceded by the 24th edition of the annual WTA event, which will continue to take place one week before the ATP event. The women’s tournament will run between Feb.18 and 24, before the 32nd staging of the ATP Tour 500 tournament from Feb.26 to March 2.