Roger Federer and Andre Agassi were the top stars of the 2005 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships draw, entering as 1st and 4th seeds. On February 22, the organizers invited Federer and Agassi to exchange some balls on a slightly different tennis court located on the helipad of the super-luxurious Burj Al Arab hotel, more than 200 meters above sea level.
Roger and Andre enjoyed a friendly hitting on a grass court for 20 minutes, shooting some balls from the edge of this fantastic landscape. Seven years later, Roger had the opportunity to do the same against Novak Djokovic.
After winning the Doha title in the season opener and reaching the Australian Open semi-final, No. 1 Federer conquered Rotterdam and traveled to Dubai immediately. The Swiss was unable to make a rapid transition from indoor conditions with ease, struggling to find rhythm in opening matches against Ivo Minar and Juan Carlos Ferrero, who had two match points in a 4-6, 6-3 loss. , 7-6.
. After two narrow victories, Federer defeated Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 7-5 in one hour and 13 minutes to gain momentum before the anticipated clash against Andre Agassi.
Federer and Agassi enjoyed themselves at the Burj Al Arab hotel helipad in 2005.
It took Roger just 52 minutes to beat the veteran 6-3, 6-1, fending off all three break opportunities and surrendering four breaks to control the score and advance to the title clash.
In the battle for the trophy, Roger defeated his current coach, Ivan Ljubicic, 6-1, 6-7, 6-3 to win Dubai’s third consecutive crown. “This was an absolutely incredible experience. When you first get over how high you are and start playing, it’s an absolute joy and it was a great moment.
I had no problem with height as long as I didn’t have to bungee jump on one side, “Andre Agassi said.” The view is absolutely amazing here, and it was very different when I was asked to do this, as I didn’t.
I do not know what to expect. I have been to Dubai many times and have stayed at Burj Al Arab before, but this was an absolute luxury. Playing tennis with Andre on top of such an amazing hotel and overlooking all of Dubai was absolutely spectacular, “said Roger Federer.
–
