The organizing committee of the Habtoor International Challenge Tennis Tournament has announced that the tournament has received an award for excellence in organization from the International Tennis Federation (ITF), in recognition of the high level of organization and quality that distinguished it in its 27th edition last year. The tournament, classified as a 100-point event in the women's circuit, was selected under the ITF's Tournament Excellence Award program to honor events that achieve the highest standards in competition management, organizational structure, and player experience. This international recognition came after a successful season that saw an improvement in the tournament's organizational structure, an increase in participation, and the application of best professional practices aligned with the ITF's global initiatives to promote women's tennis. The ITF confirmed in an official statement signed by George Donnelly, Head of the Women's World Tour, that the Habtoor Challenge has set a benchmark for sporting event organization, enhancing Dubai's position on the global tennis map and showcasing its capabilities to host major tournaments. On the competition front, the first day of the 28th edition of the Habtoor International Challenge Women's Tennis Tournament saw exciting action in the doubles. The second-seeded pair, consisting of Briton Emily Appleton and Indian Rutuja Bhosale, staged a comeback against the Russian duo of Al'fina Zaitseva and Evgeniya Rodina, winning 6-7, 7-6, 10-5. The third-seeded pair also continued their strong run, defeating the British-Indian team of Freya Christy and Rutuja Pusale 6-2, 6-3. The fourth-seeded Russian pair of Elena Bryzginina and Ekaterina Yashina secured a well-deserved victory over the Russian-British team of Ekaterina Ovcharenko and Emily Smith 6-3, 6-2. The top-seeded pair of Slovenian Dalila Jakupović and Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenović was scheduled to play their match last evening, concurrent with the completion of the singles matches. Meanwhile, the tournament director, Nura Badawi, and Head of Communications at the Habtoor Group, stated that the current edition has surpassed expectations in terms of organization and technical and administrative success. She praised the significant support from the Chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee, businessman Khalaf Habtoor, who provided all the resources for the tournament's success. The tournament, which is the first of its kind for young female players with a $100,000 prize fund, aims to support talent and build strong national teams. Badawi added in her press statements: 'The continuity of this success is due to a professional team that has gained cumulative experience since the tournament's inception, along with the logistical and material support that has maintained its success over the past 28 years.' The tournament director also thanked the International and UAE Tennis Federations, all stakeholders, the technical and organizational team led by Leith Al-Aani and Hasan Al-Jwsi, the logistics team, the umpires, line judges, and all staff who directly contributed to the flawless execution of the current edition. In closing, Nura Badawi called on local and Arab players to participate in such tournaments to gain experience, confirming that the Habtoor Group will continue to organize a local accompanying tournament with 380 players of all ages to support emerging talent and build strong national teams.
