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Dubai Tennis Championships

Coordinates: 25°14′34.33″N 55°20′33″E / 25.2428694°N 55.34250°E / 25.2428694; 55.34250
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Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

The Dubai Tennis Championships (also known as the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships for sponsorship reasons) (formerly known for sponsorship reasons as the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships and the Dubai Duty Free Men's and Women's Championships) is a professional tennis tournament owned and organized by Dubai Duty Free and held annually in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on outdoor hardcourts. The tournament takes place at the end of February and organizes a men's and women's event. The tournament takes place under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

History

Dubai Tennis Championships in 2006

For five years Swiss Roger Federer, on the men's side, and Belgian Justine Henin, on the women's side, dominated the singles' tournaments. Between 2003 and 2007, Federer and Henin each won the singles title four times. However, in 2008, neither player managed to reach the finals; Andy Roddick and Elena Dementieva became the new champions. Currently, the reigning champions are Novak Djokovic and Petra Kvitová.

2009 Shahar Pe'er visa controversy

In February 2009, Israeli player Shahar Pe'er was denied entry visa by the United Arab Emirates, a country that does not have diplomatic relations with Israel. Tournament director Salah Tahlak said that Pe'er was refused on the grounds that her appearance could incite anger in the Arab country, after she had already faced protests earlier at the ASB Classic over the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict.[1] A number of top-seeded players, among them Venus Williams,[2] condemned the action to not grant Pe'er a visa.

In response, the Dubai Tennis Championship was fined a record US$300,000. The fine was appealed by DTC, but the WTA Tour Board rejected the appeal.[3] Pe'er was awarded a guarantee to enter the next (2010) edition of the event, plus US$44,250, an amount equal to the average prize money she earned per tournament in 2008.[4] A number of highly-ranked tennis players, including 2008 winner Andy Roddick, pulled out of the men's event (ATP 500 Dubai) which was scheduled to take place the week after the women's event. As a result, the UAE issued Israeli Andy Ram a visa for the men's tournament.[5]

Past finals

In the men's singles, Roger Federer (winner in 2003–05, 2007, 2012, runner-up in 2006, 2011) holds the records for most titles (five), most finals (seven), and most consecutive titles (three), sharing the last record with Novak Djokovic (winner in 2009–11, 2013). In the women's singles, Justine Henin (2003–04, 2006–07) holds the record for most titles (four) and shares with Venus Williams (2009–10) the record for most consecutive titles (two). In men's doubles, Mahesh Bhupathi (1998, 2004, 2008, 2012–13) has won the most overall titles (five), and co-holds with Grant Connell (1995–96) the record for most consecutive titles (two). In women's doubles, Liezel Huber (2007–09, 2011–12) took the most titles (five) and, alongside partner Cara Black (2007–09), the most back-to-back titles (three).

Men's singles

Roger Federer (winner in 2003–05, 2007, 2012, runner-up in 2006, 2011) holds all records in Dubai, for most titles (five), most finals (seven), and most back-to-back titles (three).
Novak Djokovic (2009–11) shares with Federer the record for most consecutive titles (three).
Year Champion Runner-up Score
1993 Czech Republic Karel Nováček France Fabrice Santoro 6–4, 7–5
1994 Sweden Magnus Gustafsson Spain Sergi Bruguera 6–4, 6–2
1995 South Africa Wayne Ferreira Italy Andrea Gaudenzi 6–3, 6–3
1996 Croatia Goran Ivanišević Spain Albert Costa 6–4, 6–3
1997 Austria Thomas Muster Croatia Goran Ivanišević 7–5, 7–6(7–3)
1998 Spain Àlex Corretja Spain Félix Mantilla 7–6(7–0), 6–1
1999 France Jérôme Golmard Germany Nicolas Kiefer 6–4, 6–2
2000 Germany Nicolas Kiefer Spain Juan Carlos Ferrero 7–5, 4–6, 6–3
2001 Spain Juan Carlos Ferrero Russia Marat Safin 6–2, 3–1 retired
2002 France Fabrice Santoro Morocco Younes El Aynaoui 6–4, 3–6, 6–3
2003 Switzerland Roger Federer Czech Republic Jiří Novák 6–1, 7–6(7–2)
2004 Switzerland Roger Federer Spain Feliciano López 4–6, 6–1, 6–2
2005 Switzerland Roger Federer Croatia Ivan Ljubičić 6–1, 6–7(6–8), 6–3
2006 Spain Rafael Nadal Switzerland Roger Federer 2–6, 6–4, 6–4
2007 Switzerland Roger Federer Russia Mikhail Youzhny 6–4, 6–3
2008 United States Andy Roddick Spain Feliciano López 6–7(8–10), 6–4, 6–2
2009 Serbia Novak Djokovic Spain David Ferrer 7–5, 6–3
2010 Serbia Novak Djokovic Russia Mikhail Youzhny 7–5, 5–7, 6–3
2011 Serbia Novak Djokovic Switzerland Roger Federer 6–3, 6–3
2012 Switzerland Roger Federer United Kingdom Andy Murray 7–5, 6–4
2013 Serbia Novak Djokovic Czech Republic Tomáš Berdych 7–5, 6–3

Women's singles

Justine Henin (2003–04, 2006–07) collected a record total of four singles titles in Dubai.
Year Champion Runner-up Score
2001 Switzerland Martina Hingis France Nathalie Tauziat 6–4, 6–4
2002 France Amélie Mauresmo France Sandrine Testud 6–4, 7–6(7–3)
2003 Belgium Justine Henin-Hardenne United States Monica Seles 4–6, 7–6(7–4), 7–5
2004 Belgium Justine Henin-Hardenne Russia Svetlana Kuznetsova 7–6(7–3), 6–3
2005 United States Lindsay Davenport Serbia and Montenegro Jelena Janković 6–4, 3–6, 6–4
2006 Belgium Justine Henin-Hardenne Russia Maria Sharapova 7–5, 6–2
2007 Belgium Justine Henin-Hardenne France Amélie Mauresmo 6–4, 7–5
2008 Russia Elena Dementieva Russia Svetlana Kuznetsova 4–6, 6–3, 6–2
2009 United States Venus Williams France Virginie Razzano 6–4, 6–2
2010 United States Venus Williams Belarus Victoria Azarenka 6–3, 7–5
2011 Denmark Caroline Wozniacki Russia Svetlana Kuznetsova 6–1, 6–3
2012 Poland Agnieszka Radwańska Germany Julia Görges 7–5, 6–4
2013 Czech Republic Petra Kvitová Italy Sara Errani 6–2, 1–6, 6–1

Men's doubles

Mahesh Bhupathi (1998, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013) took five doubles titles at the tournament, each time with a different partner.
Year Champions Runners-up Score
1993 Australia John Fitzgerald
Sweden Anders Järryd
Canada Grant Connell
United States Patrick Galbraith
6–2, 6–1
1994 Australia Todd Woodbridge
Australia Mark Woodforde
Australia Darren Cahill
Australia John Fitzgerald
6–7, 6–4, 6–2
1995 Canada Grant Connell
United States Patrick Galbraith
Spain Tomás Carbonell
Spain Francisco Roig
6–2, 4–6, 6–3
1996 Canada Grant Connell
Zimbabwe Byron Black
Czech Republic Karel Nováček
Czech Republic Jiří Novák
6–0, 6–1
1997 Netherlands Sander Groen
Croatia Goran Ivanišević
Australia Sandon Stolle
Czech Republic Cyril Suk
7–6, 6–3
1998 India Mahesh Bhupathi
India Leander Paes
United States Donald Johnson
United States Francisco Montana
6–2, 7–5
1999 Zimbabwe Wayne Black
Australia Sandon Stolle
South Africa David Adams
South Africa John-Laffnie de Jager
4–6, 6–1, 6–4
2000 Czech Republic Jiří Novák
Czech Republic David Rikl
South Africa Robbie Koenig
Australia Peter Tramacchi
6–2, 7–5
2001 Australia Joshua Eagle
Australia Sandon Stolle
Canada Daniel Nestor
Serbia Nenad Zimonjić
6–4, 6–4
2002 The Bahamas Mark Knowles
Canada Daniel Nestor
Australia Joshua Eagle
Australia Sandon Stolle
3–6, 6–3, [13–11]
2003 India Leander Paes
Czech Republic David Rikl
Zimbabwe Wayne Black
Zimbabwe Kevin Ullyett
6–3, 6–0
2004 India Mahesh Bhupathi
France Fabrice Santoro
Sweden Jonas Björkman
India Leander Paes
6–2, 4–6, 6–4
2005 Czech Republic Martin Damm
Czech Republic Radek Štěpánek
Sweden Jonas Björkman
France Fabrice Santoro
6–2, 6–4
2006 Australia Paul Hanley
Zimbabwe Kevin Ullyett
The Bahamas Mark Knowles
Canada Daniel Nestor
1–6, 6–2, [10–1]
2007 France Fabrice Santoro
Serbia Nenad Zimonjić
India Mahesh Bhupathi
Czech Republic Radek Štěpánek
7–5, 6–7(3–7), [10–7]
2008 India Mahesh Bhupathi
The Bahamas Mark Knowles
Czech Republic Martin Damm
Czech Republic Pavel Vízner
7–5, 7–6(9–7)
2009 South Africa Rik de Voest
Russia Dmitry Tursunov
Czech Republic Martin Damm
Sweden Robert Lindstedt
4–6, 6–3, [10–5]
2010 Sweden Simon Aspelin
Australia Paul Hanley
Czech Republic Lukáš Dlouhý
India Leander Paes
6–2, 6–3
2011 Ukraine Sergiy Stakhovsky
Russia Mikhail Youzhny
France Jérémy Chardy
Spain Feliciano López
4–6, 6–3, [10–3]
2012 India Mahesh Bhupathi
India Rohan Bopanna
Poland Mariusz Fyrstenberg
Poland Marcin Matkowski
6–4, 3–6, [10–5]
2013 India Mahesh Bhupathi
France Michaël Llodra
Sweden Robert Lindstedt
Serbia Nenad Zimonjić
7–6(8–6), 7–6(8–6)

Women's doubles

Liezel Huber (2007–09, 2011–12) is the most successful player in women's doubles, with five titles in Dubai.
Year Champions Runners-up Score
2001 Indonesia Yayuk Basuki
Netherlands Caroline Vis
Sweden Åsa Svensson
Slovakia Karina Habšudová
6–0, 4–6, 6–2
2002 Germany Barbara Rittner
Venezuela María Vento-Kabchi
France Sandrine Testud
Italy Roberta Vinci
6–3, 6–2
2003 Russia Svetlana Kuznetsova
United States Martina Navrátilová
Zimbabwe Cara Black
Russia Elena Likhovtseva
6–3, 7–6(9–7)
2004 Slovakia Janette Husárová
Spain Conchita Martínez
Russia Svetlana Kuznetsova
Russia Elena Likhovtseva
6–0, 1–6, 6–3
2005 Spain Virginia Ruano
Argentina Paola Suárez
Russia Svetlana Kuznetsova
Australia Alicia Molik
6–7(7–9), 6–2, 6–1
2006 Czech Republic Květa Peschke
Italy Francesca Schiavone
Russia Svetlana Kuznetsova
Russia Nadia Petrova
3–6, 7–6(7–1), 6–3
2007 Zimbabwe Cara Black
United States Liezel Huber
Russia Svetlana Kuznetsova
Australia Alicia Molik
7–6(8–6), 6–4
2008 Zimbabwe Cara Black
United States Liezel Huber
China Zheng Jie
China Yan Zi
7–5, 6–2
2009 Zimbabwe Cara Black
United States Liezel Huber
Russia Maria Kirilenko
Poland Agnieszka Radwańska
6–3, 6–3
2010 Spain Nuria Llagostera Vives
Spain María José Martínez Sánchez
Czech Republic Květa Peschke
Slovenia Katarina Srebotnik
7–6(7–5), 6–4
2011 United States Liezel Huber
Spain María José Martínez Sánchez
Czech Republic Květa Peschke
Slovenia Katarina Srebotnik
7–6(7–5), 6–3
2012 United States Liezel Huber
United States Lisa Raymond
India Sania Mirza
Russia Elena Vesnina
6–2, 6–1
2013 United States Bethanie Mattek-Sands
India Sania Mirza
Russia Nadia Petrova
Slovenia Katarina Srebotnik
6–4, 2–6, [10–7]

References

  1. ^ "Dubai faces censure over Peer ban". BBC Sport. 2009-02-17. Retrieved 2009-02-17.
  2. ^ Mondays With Bob Greene: We do not wish to politicize sports
  3. ^ http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1242212395267&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull
  4. ^ "Dubai given record fine over Peer". BBC News. February 20, 2009. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  5. ^ "WTA fines Dubai; Roddick withdraws". ESPN.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Austria Kitzbühel
ATP International Series Tournament of the Year
1997
Succeeded by
Preceded by Favorite WTA Tier I - II Tournament
2001, 2002
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Austria Kitzbühel
Mexico Acapulco
ATP World Tour 500 Tournament of the Year
2003-2006
2008-present
Succeeded by



25°14′34.33″N 55°20′33″E / 25.2428694°N 55.34250°E / 25.2428694; 55.34250