The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships draw has laid out a tough path for Tunisian tennis player Ons Jabeur, currently ranked 35 in the world and the only representative from Arab countries. The tournament starts tomorrow, on Sunday, at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium in the Khorfakkan area of Dubai and will run until February 22. The total prize fund amounts to 3.7 million dollars.
Additionally, the seeded tennis star is playing in group 4. First, she is set to face American Peyton Stearns, who holds the 47th spot in the world rankings, and then, if she wins, will clash in the second round with Chinese player Zhang, currently ranked 8th in the world. Furthermore, a potential clash in the round of 16 may occur against Russian Mira Andreyeva, ranked 15th in the world, and subsequently a potentially tough match in the quarterfinals against Swedish player Iga Swiatek — the world’s 2nd ranked.
Today, on Saturday, the tournament’s draw ceremony took place in the Council Room at the main venue, attended by the director of Dubai Duty Free, Ramesh Sidhambaram, the deputy general director of the Dubai Duty Free tournament, Salah Tahlaq, WTA representative Donna Kelsey, the general secretary of the Tennis Federation of the UAE, Nasser Merzuk, as well as Russian tennis player Anna Kalinskaya and Romanian sportsman Sorana Cirstea.
The tournament features 64 participants, including 9 from the top 10 and 35 of the best female tennis players in the world. All of the strongest athletes automatically made it through to the second round, as they rank among the top ten.
Russian tennis player Kristina has shared her thoughts about the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships: she expressed excitement about her participation in the "Dubai Tennis" tournaments and highlighted them as the strongest in history. Kristina also emphasized that participating in this tournament is a special moment for her, considering that she lives in Dubai and considers it her home. She expressed gratitude for the invitation and hopes for successful performances in competitive matches and the chance to enjoy an amazing week of sports.
On this note, the athlete noted that her first appearance at the tournament happened when she was seventeen, and since then, the tournament has undergone significant changes, becoming one of the best in the calendar. Kristina also suggested that her success from last year’s edition of the tournament could be a starting point for a new season in her career.
