The WTA Dubai starts on Sunday February 19th followed by the ATP 500 the following week. 18 of the top 20 WTA rankings will take part, including world No. 1 Iga Swiatek and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka.
For his part, the men’s tournament will feature Novak Djokovic, fresh from his tenth win at Melbourne Park and the protagonist of a fantastic start to the season (the Serb also won the ATP 250 in Adelaide). Rafael Nadal should also have been present but was forced to resign due to the iliopsoas injury he sustained during the Australian Open.
Roger Federer, eight-time champion in Dubai, who retired in September last year, will of course not be there. The Swiss did everything he could to complete one last lap, but the condition of his right knee forced him to retire at 41.
In a lengthy interview with Khaleej Times, Colm McLoughlin – General Manager of Dubai Duty Free – thanked Federer for his contribution to the growth of the tournament “For all athletes, retirement day comes sooner or later.
We are happy that Roger Federer has such a deep connection to our tournament. He’s won eight times, lives in Dubai and has personally contributed to the growth of the tournament,” said McLoughlin. “Even if he doesn’t play anymore, he’ll always be welcome here.
He was always very good to us and fulfilled almost all of our wishes. He played an important role in promoting the Dubai tournament, not just because he won it so many times. His eighth title in Dubai came at 100.
of his career together, a historic moment of which we are proud. I can’t forget when Federer and Andre Agassi played at the Burj Al Arab helipad in 2005, it was an epic moment too. Roger was a great ambassador for us and we were always happy to host him,” he added.
Federer is an absolute legend
Sackmann believes that Roger Federer, who defeated Roddick in four Grand Slam finals, was probably the main reason Roddick didn’t win as much as he could have achieved.
“The way we’re talking about it right now, he (Andy Roddick) isn’t in the GOAT debate and maybe he would have been if Federer hadn’t come along when he did. Maybe he would have won four Wimbledons in a row,” Jeff Sackmann said on an episode of the Court-Side with Beilinson Tennis podcast.
“The fact that he only accomplished what he did meant people would have expected him to be further out of the top 100 on my list, but he wasn’t.”
