Dubai: An unprecedented 10 out of the top 10 women's players in the world will grace the court at the Dubai Tennis Stadium when the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships gets underway on February 15.
And at least six of the top 10 men's players will be in action for the ATP tournament at the same venue the following week.
This extraordinary line-up will include both men's and women's defending champions, Andy Roddick and Elena Dementieva, as well as crowd favourites Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and the ever-popular Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic.
"To have all of the top 10 women and six of the top 10 men confirmed for the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships 2009 is a remarkable and unprecedented achievement", said Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director of tournament owners and organisers Dubai Duty Free.
"The incredible line-up of players that have committed to play here is an indication of what a popular and highly-respected tournament we have here in Dubai."
Grandstand Tickets for this star-studded spectacle go on sale from today from the Dubai Tennis Stadium box office in Garhoud and from Time Out Tickets.
As part of the ATP and WTA restructuring, the organisers of the event have confirmed that the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships now comprises the only ATP 500 and WTA Premier 5 sanctioned tournaments in the Middle East.
The enhanced status makes Dubai not only the most highly-regarded tennis tournament in the region, but one of the most prestigious events on both the ATP and WTA Tour calendars, with a total prize money of $4 million up for grabs to the winners this year.
"It's a great honour to continue to be associated with the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships," said Ahmad Khan, Chief Executive of Barclays Global Retail and Commercial Banking - Emerging Markets.
"We thought nothing could top the flurry of activity, top level competition and excitement we saw during our first year of sponsorship in 2008, but with the enhanced status of both tournaments and the grand plans Dubai Duty Free have for the event, we are confident that this year's tournament will be even better."
This year's tournament will see world number one Nadal making his fifth trip to Dubai, where he will attempt to regain the trophy he won with a three-set victory over Federer in a pulsating 2006 final.
But, with defeat at the quarter-final stage of his other three appearances, success for the charismatic Spaniard is far from assured, and his many fans will be on the edge of their seats to see if he can improve on his comparatively modest record at the Dubai Tennis Stadium.
It was Nadal who ended Federer's winning streak here, with his loss in the 2006 final bringing to a close a fantastic run of 19 straight victories that landed the Swiss master three consecutive titles.
Federer regained his crown in 2007, but last year he slumped to a stunning defeat in the opening round at the hands of talented Scot Andy Murray.
