Jarryd faces Ferreira as Legends start rocking Dubai

Dubai: Anders Jarryd will take on Wayne Ferreira in the opening singles match of the 2008 The Legends Rock Dubai at the Dubai Tennis Stadium on Wednesday.

Gates will open at 4pm and the opening singles match of this year's competition will get under at 5 pm.

The match will be followed by a doubles exhibition with Stefan Edberg and John Fitzgerald playing Mansour Bahrami and Jim Courier.

The day's action will conclude with defending champion Paul Haarhuis taking on Sergi Bruguera.

This year has attracted arguably the strongest field in the history of this annual event with as many as eight former top stars involved in the singles and doubles competitions over the next four days.

Led by Jim Courier and Stefan Edberg, the field also contains Sergi Bruguera, Paul Haarhuis, Wayne Ferreira, Anders Jarryd, John Fitzgerald and Mansour Bahrami.

'Thrilled with field'

Farbod Dowlatshahi, president of event organisers Delwood, said: "We are thrilled with the quality of the field we have attracted this year.

"I know we will miss Goran Ivanisevic, but we still have some of the greatest players of yesteryears among us for some real intense action over the next few days."

For the singles competition, the players have been divided into two groups with Group A featuring Anders Jarryd, Wayne Ferreira and Stefan Edberg, while Group B has Jim Courier, Paul Haarhuis and Sergi Bruguera.

The top finishers from each group will meet in Saturday's final.

The Legends Rock Dubai is the eighth and final round on the 2008 Outback Champions Series.

The winner will take home $54,000, as well as Champions Series ranking points that will determine the year-end Stanford Champions Rankings No 1. This year's champion will receive a $100,000 bonus.